NBA trade rumors 2016 update: Golden State Warriors coach slams Kevin Durant critics over 'villain' comment

The Golden State Warriors is getting some flak following Kevin Durant's decision to leave Oklahoma City Thunder as a free agent in the National Basketball Association (NBA) offseason. As a result, the former Most Valuable Player (MVP) has been a subject of constant ridicule by critics who ascribed him a "villain" status.

However, Warriors coach Steve Kerr came to his rescue, saying that calling Durant or any of the Golden State members a "villain" is "absurd." Durant, one of the league's best scorers, has chosen to cast his lot with the Warriors instead of the Celtics in July.

"To think of Kevin Durant or Steph Curry or any of our guys as a villain, is kind of absurd. But especially Kevin. This is one of the most likable people in the league," said Kerr as quoted by Mass Live.

Durant's migration to Golden State took everyone by surprise. He now joins the Splash brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and most of the players who made a record of 73 wins in in the 2015-16 regular season breaking Chicago Bull's 72-win record in the 1995–96 season. However, the team lost their championship repeat bid to LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers after a seven-game stretch in the finals.

For some people though, jumping to a much better team doesn't make Durant look good especially among his fans in Oklahoma. However, some basketball pundits think his decision may have been driven by his desire to win a championship — a very elusive prospect until now.

The 27-year-old small forward has brought the Thunder to the Western Conference finals four times in his nine-year stint with the team. As reported by UPI, Durant entered a two-year contract worth $54.3 million, including a player option in the third year. The "villain" connotation started with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's statement which went viral on the social media.