OAKLAND, Calif. _ While it didn't quite rival the backlash of LeBron James' "The Decision" when James left the Cavaliers for the Heat in 2010, Kevin Durant incurred some criticism for leaving the Thunder to join the ready-to-win Warriors last summer in free agency.
Jimmy Butler, who got to know Durant during their shared offseason on the U.S. Olympic team, calls that criticism unwarranted.
"Do what you want to do. Don't let anyone influence what you do. You're the one who has to live with that," Butler said. "Go where you think is best for you and your family, where you can win. Good for him. They're playing great basketball, so it was a good move if you ask me."
Butler understands how the modern NBA works, which is why he helped recruit Dwyane Wade to the Bulls in Wade's shocking free-agency choice to leave the Heat. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all were part of the Warriors' pitch to Durant.
Butler also played with Thompson and Green at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
"We were all around each other a month and a half straight. So you got a good grasp and good feel of who they were as people, their work ethic and what they like to do for fun," Butler said. "It's cool to be around those guys.
"Everybody always had something to say to me because I'm always doing something out of the ordinary, wild, out of line, whatever you want to call it. A lot of fun went on there."
