The Kevin Durant saga was the biggest story of the early 2022 NBA offseason. Following a tumultuous season in Brooklyn, the 2x NBA champion decided to request a trade out of Barclays Center, sending the entire NBA into a frenzy. KD did something that nobody expected, and the rest of the league instantly started calling the Nets to at least know what they were asking for Durant.
After a month without updates, the Nets and Durant decided to move forward and forget about this situation. Now, they’re ready to compete and see if they can win that elusive NBA championship once and for all.
While many think the Durant saga will affect the Nets in this campaign, others are convinced that they are on the same page now and will try to win the championship no matter what.
Kyrie Irving Says The Nets Are Better Now
Kyrie Irving belongs to the second group, as he thinks the Nets benefitted from Durant’s failed trade request. Talking with Shams Charania on Stadium, Kyrie opened up on how he lived that moment when KD decided he wanted to leave the Nets and how he felt after that move never came to fruition.
Part 2 of Kyrie Irving on @Stadium: "I’m going for every piece of hardware that I could possibly get out of the NBA." On the Nets post-KD trade request, his team bonding event, admitting "I don't think it was my time to ask for a trade" with Cavs, Uncle Drew, meaning of A11Even. pic.twitter.com/TI4IKfOBEs
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 19, 2022
“When Kev made that request, I feel like we got better,” Irving told Charania. “Afterwards. Not initially, but now where we are now, I feel like we can honestly say we got better, with the principles that are needed for success. Without going through some test in the summertime or during the season, we wouldn’t be able to be as close and bonded as we are now.”
Irving also called Durant one of the greatest players ever, while explaining what’s next for the Nets. They’ll have the not-so-easy job of leading this team to the promised land in an Eastern Conference that will feature at least 8 teams with chances to compete for something meaningful.
The Nets have renewed hopes and with Durant returning and locked in, this team will be one of the main favorites in the East. This could be a great story of redemption, but time will tell how it all plays out for the Brooklynites.
