LeBron James’ conversation about the toxicity of the ring culture has sparked a wild debate. Stephen A. Smith felt it was preposterous for him to raise the point. But those who have gone through the trials and tribunals of winning a championship understood the Akron Hammer’s sentiments. Draymond Green has shown great support for his good friend in this regard. However, there’s a new angle that he pointed out.

The plain argument is that analysts and other media members are diminishing Hall of Famers who never won a title. You imagine the likes of Allen Iverson and Charles Barkley, as LeBron James rightfully pointed out. They aren’t celebrated nearly enough by analysts. But what about when they use the ring argument against players?

Green has suffered alongside Kevin Durant. The Slim Reaper joined the Warriors in a polarizing decision. He won two rings, but analysts disregard it, calling it a ‘weak move’. But having felt the upset of the 2016 Finals, Green knows everything about Durant’s impact.

“You speak on ring culture. It’s worked against Kevin Durant in the opposite way. It’s so hard to win a ring. Our teams made it look so easy that people say Kevin Durant just went over there and walked to a ring. Man, without Kevin Durant, I don’t know if we was going to win another championship. We didn’t walk. He didn’t come and walk to a ring. We just got that good and made it look that easy. This dude got the two rings, and they still use it against him,” he said on The Pivot Podcast.

Green and Durant might have had their mini-feud in 2018 when their on-court argument played a “little” part in KD deciding to leave. But that doesn’t discard their time together. The Warriors knew they had to improve after 2016. And Durant spent nearly a decade trying to win in OKC, just like LeBron James with the Cavaliers.

Still, that is regularly held against Durant under the pretext of him ‘chasing’ a ring. Then his past efforts didn’t matter, nor did his elite contributions during the back-to-back championships. That raises the question: Do the rings matter, or does the path to a championship take precedence?

Ease never played a part in Kevin Durant’s decision

Before his move to the Warriors, Durant was a phenom in Oklahoma. He rose to an MVP and left the city with countless memories. But a single decision for his career ruined his reputation. Yes, the Warriors were stacked when Durant joined. However, no championship is easy.

When initially debating James’ ring culture point, Smith spoke about what matters to fans. “I’m talking about the commitment, the commitment that LeBron gives, that he’s revered for along with many others and what they bring to the table off the court in the off-season. Are you constantly working to improve your craft and to elevate your level of play? The audience needs to see that,” Smith said.

Kevin Durant might have joined a powerful arsenal. But didn’t he commit fully to making sure the Warriors can launch a dynasty? His two Finals MVPs are proof that when the moment called, Durant was the player the Warriors looked to. Additionally, his work ethic wasn’t affected simply because he was on a juggernaut team.

Now, going back to Smith speaking about Allen Iverson. He made it clear, the reason Philadelphia loves him is because he invoked belief from the fans. “If Shaq and his prime and Kobe weren’t standing in his way, Allen Iverson would have captured a championship,” Smith argued. Isn’t that the case for LeBron James facing the Warriors with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love injured? Did he have an adequate supporting cast to match the Kevin Durant-led Warriors?

There are many contradictions to this argument. The bottom line, there’s no doubt rings matter. Winning is the motivation that drives great athletes. But weighing the greats based on it can become a shallow argument when the journey isn’t considered. With all the facts in place, the conversation becomes far different than simply comparing the number of rings to put one above the other.