I know basketball very, very well. Try me.
Now, in hindsight, I probably shouldn't have mentioned the money part because that seems to distract from the real point. But I think Lee could have made more money somewhere else, and have been promised a starting job... yes, there are teams that fill holes in FA hoping a veteran star player's injury history won't follow him. Happens all the time. Would NE have been one of those? Would LAR have been one of those? Would KC have been one of those? Would NO have been one of those? Maybe.
And/but your last sentence is correct.
And/but Charles Barkley deserves respect that Durant does not. He didn't take the easy way. He didn't manipulate things to make the ring happen for him. And as you imply, there's a legacy benefit to being able to say "I won a ring." But you won your ring by taking a shortcut. And for anyone who cares about integrity, that's a problem.
He is one of the ring brat brotherhood now.