Last season, Kevin Durant only had a few weeks to develop chemistry with his new Suns’ teammates. And now, with the Suns on a nice streak of late, it’s got people wondering what life would have been like last year had he been traded much sooner. According to Kevin Durant, it wasn’t for a lack of trying that he didn’t land with the Suns much earlier than he did.
“The Nets refused to get rid of me,” said Durant in a chat with reporters. “I tried, but time ran out. I wasn’t going to miss any games because of this whole thing… It worked out in perfect timing. Regardless of anything, it’s been fun playing with Book, living in Phoenix, and learning the system.”
"I did. I tried but time ran out. I wasn't going to miss any games because of this whole thing. Once the season rolled around, I was like, whatever happens, happens."
Kevin Durant on trying to leave #Nets for #Suns before last season.
Traded before deadline.
"Perfect timing." pic.twitter.com/aA0HOZIZav
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) November 25, 2023
Durant chose to join the Nets back in 2019, signing a multi-year deal in an effort to win a title with Kyrie Irving. That decision ultimately backfired for Durant and by the end of his first healthy season with the team, he was ready to try something new. Ultimately, since the superstar was still under contract, he had no choice but to wait until the Nets wanted to finally let him go.
An Ugly Divorce In Brooklyn
It didn’t take long for the situation to devolve into chaos for the Nets. The worst of it came during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 when Kyrie Irving was essentially exiled from the team over his refusal to take the vaccine. The Nets’ handling of the whole situation completely destroyed the culture in the locker room and James Harden would be the first one to go after just 80 games with the franchise.
That summer, Kevin Durant made his first official trade request but it wasn’t until several weeks into the season that the Nets complied and sent him to Phoenix in a trade for Mikal Bridges. Looking back, it was an ugly and messy breakup for all sides and there’s no coming back from how it all went down. But for Durant, it wasn’t really so much about the Nets as it was about the people in charge there, who rubbed shoulders with the stars almost from day one.
A Fresh Start With The Suns
Durant has found new life since joining the Suns, and it’s not hard to see why. Despite their shortcomings as a franchise, the Suns are fully committed to winning a championship and they allow their players the freedom to be themselves both on and off the court. This season, in his first full run with the Suns, Kevin is playing great with averages of 31.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game on 53% shooting.
While there are some questions about the health of the stars and the depth of the supporting cast, the Suns are still a threat to win the West this season. Between the play of Booker and Durant alone, they stand a chance against any team in the West. When you add in Bradley Beal, Eric Gordon, and Bosnian big man Jusuf Nurkic, it’s impossible to count out his team as a top-tier contender. If the guys can stay healthy, specifically Durant, then there is nothing stopping them from taking over as the new team to beat in the conference.
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