Did Kevin Durant make a mistake leaving the Golden State Warriors? A deep dive into his playoff struggles and legacy since leaving Stephen Curry.

Durant is the prime example of why always chasing something greater will always find a way of backfiring. Since leaving the Warriors and Curry, Kevin has not had much success, as his Rockets are currently down 0-2 in the series against the Los Angeles Lakers.

With the Oklahoma City Thunder, Durant shot 10-31 and 12-31 in Games 6 and 7 to lose to the 73-9 Warriors in the 2016 Western Conference Finals and then joined them. He took the easy way out to ensure he was a champion, and as his career has unfolded, Kevin’s path to a championship has been difficult.

Durant has not won a playoff game since May 7, 2023 in Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets. He has lost seven playoff games in a row. At some point, the conversation stops being about talent and starts being about something harder to measure.

Kevin Durant’s Playoff Record After Leaving the Warriors

May 2, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) drives for the basket against Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the fourth quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

During Durant’s time on the Brooklyn Nets, he did not make the playoffs in 2020 due to his ruptured Achilles tendon. In 2021, they lost in the second round against the Milwaukee Bucks due to Kyrie Irving getting injured by Giannis Antetokounmpo. In 2022, the Nets got swept by the Boston Celtics.

When Durant was supposed to be on the Phoenix Suns, they lost in the second round against the Nuggets in 2023. In 2024, the Suns got swept by Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves. They missed the playoffs in 2025.

Durant has had Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Devin Booker, and now he is paired up with Alperen Sengun. Whether due to injury or just plain bad luck, Durant has never reached the same level of playoff success he had before.

End Of My Kevin Durant Rant

Apr 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) looks on from the court in the second half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

If the Rockets lose this series, the front office will likely explore another significant win-now move this offseason. Houston has a talented young core, but this would be a difficult playoff exit to come back from. The clock is ticking to surround 37-year-old Durant with a title-contending team.

There were people saying Houston won this trade and acted like it was just Durant for Jalen Green straight up. Dillon Brooks, the 10th overall pick, and five second-round picks were involved in the deal.