Oklahoma City Thunder fans are adjusting to life after Kevin Durant, and they’re mad. Jerseys are being burned, mean words are being said — but one man isn’t joining the fray: Thunder general manager Sam Presti.
Thunder GM Sam Presti shows the right way to say farewell to a departing superstar
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Sam Presti was asked how Oklahomans should feel about Kevin Durant. Pretty remarkable answer: pic.twitter.com/UObZVWTnG7
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) July 5, 2016
The latest message comes after official statements released by the team. They’re a million miles apart from the Comic Sans-fueled tirade written by Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert when LeBron James left Cleveland in 2010.
Players leave teams. They seek new opportunities. It’s their right as contracted employees to find a situation that works best for them. Kudos to Presti for rising above the irrational hate. If anyone has a right to be angry it’s him, whose job just became drastically more difficult as he tries to put a winning team on the floor. Instead of screaming into the void he’s reassuring fans and more importantly thanking Durant for what he gave Oklahoma City for eight years.
That’s what it’s all about.
