When Kevin Durant joined the Brooklyn Nets alongside Kyrie Irving, NBA fans suspected that KD had once again created another superteam in the league. He was already playing the role of the villain for a few years after joining the Golden State Warriors.
KD’s stint with the Nets hasn’t gone according to plan, at least for now. He is yet to win anything with the Nets and this season his reputation has taken a massive hit after the first round of the playoffs.
Durant and co. were utterly humiliated by the Boston Celtics as they won the series 4-0 and completed a sweep against one of the favorites to win the 2022 NBA Championship.
Since that disastrous series, Durant has become a prime target of backlash from NBA fans and analysts alike. Recently, Shaquille O’Neal took a shot at KD by sharing a story on Instagram which highlighted that Durant hasn’t done anything since parting ways with Stephen Curry.
Now NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith has joined the wagon and decided to give his insight into the impact of his legacy if the Curry-led Warriors advance to the 2022 NBA Finals.
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“I believe from a business perspective, no matter how much his brand may be worth, it’s nothing compared to what it would have been worth if he were a New York Knick. … But the biggest thing and I have said this before, I got a lot of love and respect for Kevin Durant. I’ve gotten to know him a little over the years and I respect the hell out of him and we all know how I feel about Mama Durant. And he’s a two-time champion, a two-time NBA Finals MVP and one of the greatest players that has ever graced this game. … There’s no way around it. If the Golden State Warriors advance to the finals, unfortunately and totally unfair to him, people will remember him more as being the dude who left Steph Curry, for Kyrie Irving than they will remember the championships. Because that’s how idiotic that move appears to be as of right now.
To be honest, during his days with the Warriors, KD might have donned the role of a villain for the fans, but he was winning NBA Championships. Moreover, he and the Warriors might have completed a three-peat in the 2019 NBA Finals if it weren’t for the injury trouble for their superstars.
Since leaving the Warriors, KD is yet to accomplish anything significant in the postseason. On the other hand, the Dubs are in a good position to return to the NBA Finals this season and possibly win another NBA title.
Will Kevin Durant regret his move to the Nets in the long run? Or will he find a way to help the franchise win a title? We will have to wait and watch.
