Not long ago it seemed, LeBron James had finally fulfilled his promise to Cleveland at last; overcoming a devastating 3-1 deficit to massacre the highly favored Golden State Warriors. The last two games were possibly his best performances ever; a grim reminder to Stephen Curry and the Warriors organization that he was still the king. The Warriors collapse had morphed society’s view of LeBron James; his reputation as a villain faded, and the hero from Akron, Ohio was reborn.

Just a few years ago, his persona as ‘The Chosen One’ for Cleveland was shattered as he became known as the Miami Traitor; a vile villain that filled the heart of Cleveland with nothing but fiery vengeful rage.

But now he redeemed himself as ‘The Chosen One’ after all, something nobody from Cleveland would’ve ever expected a few years ago. It’s a story quite similar to Star Wars in a way; Anakin Skywalker turned to the Dark Side by becoming Darth Vader, only to end up being the hero in the end, by killing Emperor Palpatine. LeBron made a similar achievement it seems. The Warriors were pretty much recognized as the new Miami Heat, and he destroyed an evil force that he was once a part of, to fulfill his promise to the Cavaliers organization.

Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love certainly deserve plenty of credit as well. Love’s defense shut down the splash brothers and Irving completely obliterated Curry in the last two games.

Yet, not even a month later, a historic championship by Cleveland was soon overshadowed by something so sinister, twisted, and daunting. Shock-waves surged through social media at dawn on Independence Day. “Kevin Durant announces that he will sign with the Warriors”.

Our fears have become reality. It’s the Miami Heat situation all over again. You evil bastards, you couldn’t even let Cleveland shine in the spotlight for a month.

The Warriors always have the last laugh it seems, and it appears they will do anything to stay in the spotlight. Who will be able to challenge them? After Dwayne Wade moved to the Bulls rather than the Cavs, Knicks, or Spurs, that seems like a question that cannot be answered yet. There could be a team like the 2011 Dallas Mavericks that comes out of nowhere, which defeated the Heat who were crowned as champions too soon.

But how likely would that be, and which team could possibly pull it off? The Cavs are obviously the team with the highest chances of putting up a good match against the Warriors followed by the Spurs of course. With Derrick Rose and Carmelo Anthony joining forces with the Knicks, things could get interesting with New York as well, as long as they stay healthy and are able to catch a second wind in their careers. Let’s not forget that Brandon Jennings is heading to New York also, which gives the Knicks a good chance at having a deeper bench. Although it would’ve been more interesting to see Dwayne Wade join the Cavs, things could still turn out well with having Rondo and Butler as teammates, but egos could easily clash between Wade and Rondo. The new trio in Indiana; Jeff Teague, Paul George, and Al Jefferson, could strike sparks and make a good run, and the Clippers are still contenders too as long as CP3 and Griffin come back in shape after their injuries. You can never count out the Portland Trailblazers either, as long as Damian Lillard is still with them. He’s probably the most underrated point guard in the game. Stephen Curry is a better shooter than him no doubt, but in my opinion I think Lillard is better overall as a point guard.

Back to Durant though, I’m certain that he will not settle for anything less than being recognized as the Warriors’ primary scorer. So as soon as the Warriors meet for their first practice, an ominous shadow will cast itself over Curry and when his petrified eyes meet with the figure hovering over him he’ll hear the Durantula declare; “Look at me! Look at me! I am the captain now!”; words that will haunt Curry for the rest of his life. But there will be nothing Curry can say about it, especially not after being manhandled by LeBron James in the NBA Finals.

There have been rumors spiraling around, about Ray Allen making a return to the NBA. The Cavaliers and Warriors are his top two choices of course, based on the sources of these rumors. If he joins the Cavs they’ll send other teams scrambling on defense; remember how he saved the Heat against the Spurs in 2013? His presence even as just a 3-point shooter will demand a wide-spread for opposing defenses, which will create more space for LeBron James and Kyrie Irving to work with. The Warriors obviously have the best offensive lineup, but how well would their defense fare against the Cavs with Ray Allen and Kevin Love at the 3-point line, while also having to keep their eyes peeled for James and Irving?

If Ray Allen joins the Warriors though, every team besides the Cavs, Spurs, and (maybe) the Knicks, might as well just put up white flags and be done with it. The NBA is doomed enough after Durant’s move but this would simply just add more flames to the fire. You never know how things will turn out in Golden State though; egos will certainly be running high about who will truly take charge.

I’d hate to consider Kevin Durant as a villain like LeBron James was a few years ago, but most of the NBA fan base is already doing so. Can we really blame him though? He fought his heart out against the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals; it was the Thunder that failed him, once again. I’m still 50/50 on Durant’s move, because someone of his caliber deserves a better chance at getting a ring. The Warriors better recognize that he is now their leader though. Nevertheless it will be interesting to see how the next NBA season pans out.