Kevin Durant may be with the Phoenix Suns now, but he admitted to being upset when he heard of Kyrie Irving requesting the Brooklyn Nets for a trade.
Irving’s move from the Nets to the Dallas Mavericks was one of the first major trade storylines ahead of the deadline. It was soon taken over when the Suns made a beeline for Durant and acquired him days later.
Speaking to the media during his introductory press conference with the Suns, the NBA champion shed light on his feelings when he heard of Irving’s request.
“I was upset that we couldn’t finish. I thought we had some good momentum, we were finally building the culture we always wanted. It was a blow to our team. It took away our identity. He was a huge, huge part of what we do.”
The forward also called Irving a future Hall of Famer, but his decision to leave the Nets didn’t sit too well with him as he said it made him “sick to his stomach” to see the guard exit the franchise and ply his trade in the West. What was supposed to be a Durant-Irving era ended abruptly with both stars making their moves mid-season.
Kevin Durant Didn’t Want To Request For A Trade Publicly After Kyrie Irving’s Brooklyn Nets Exit
Durant’s request to be out of the Nets was expected and while there were inklings that Phoenix would be where he would ultimately end up, not many expected the move to come before the end of the season.
Irving’s trade moved up the timeline, and per NBA insider Marc Stein, Durant had requested a trade privately.
Any such public chatter in the buildup to the deadline obscured what was really happening. League sources say that Durant told the Nets shortly after Irving’s abrupt departure that he wanted to be traded immediately to Phoenix if a deal could be struck — but without the public knowing that he had requested a trade for the second time in eight months. (h/t Marc Stein)
The veteran is expected to make his Suns debut on February 24, the team’s first game after the All-Star break. Adding more spice to the development is the fact that he will play against his former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Suns are primed to make the playoffs this season with a 32-28 record, and Durant’s arrival further elevates them to bona fide title contenders. Only time will tell if they can go the distance.
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