Durant not exactly at superstar status

October 20, 3:07 PMSan Antonio Spurs ExaminerMichael Chartier

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Kevin Durant leads the Thunder into Austin tonight. Can he lead them to the playoffs in the future?

AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

When San Antonio travels to Austin today to face Oklahoma City and former Longhorns’ star Kevin Durant, there will be few empty seats at the Frank Erwin Center. The road team, Spurs, have a strong following in Austin and Durant, of course, may be the biggest one-year wonder in school history.

But the former college player of the year is no savior, not by himself. While the Thunder continue to build around their young nucleus, it should be a reminder that young teams don’t win a whole bunch in the NBA.

It should also be a reminder that Durant, who will eventually be an All-Star, is no Lebron James. Or Kobe Bryant. Or Dwayne Wade. Or Tim Duncan.

It will be interesting to watch NBA franchises jockeying for financial freedom over the next two seasons to determine how to spend their money.

While I’d bet dollars to donuts that Durant will get a max offer from the Thunder to stay in OKC, they should evaluate if he’s worth it.

The trouble with too many NBA teams is that the wrong players are getting paid too much and for too long. While logic will never be a consideration, tell me why Jermaine O’Neal is the third highest paid player in the league.

Who's number one? A guy who’s never left the first round of the playoffs, Tracy McGrady.

In San Antonio, fortunes have been good. Their franchise players have included David Robinson and Tim Duncan.

The NBA gets it right with their rookie wage scale, but their futures are more murky.

Toronto would hate to lose their best player, but when push comes to shove, how is Chris Bosh worth a max deal? Players and their agents won’t see it this way, but max contracts should be for superstars.

Superstars can take their teams to the playoffs on a regular basis with almost any NBA talent around them.

Gilbert Arenas is not a superstar. Neither is Michael Redd. Kobe is. Wade is. Lebron is.

It’s one thing to overpay like Orlando did with Rashard Lewis or San Antonio is doing with Richard Jefferson. Both teams are contenders searching for the tipping point.

But that Larry Hughes has made and will make more than either Manu Ginobili or Tony Parker should tell you something about how NBA GMs spend their team’s money. The word, foolishly, comes to mind.

Tonight, when the established Spurs face the young Thunder, evaluate the talent and the future contracts facing the Thunder. Then tell me who’s worth it?

Kevin Durant is no bust. I think he’ll make a handful of All-Star appearances. But when the measure is winning, Durant is not a superstar.