Kevin Durant’s decision to leave the Golden State Warriors was a shock to everyone in the NBA community. After winning two straight Championships, and making three straight Finals appearances, he left the team for various reasons — all of which contributed to him signing with the Brooklyn Nets.
But, according to those within the Knicks organization he would have signed with them in the 2020 offseason had he tore his Achilles tendon.
(via SNY)
The Durant-Irving topic is probably a tired one for most Knicks fans. Durant has said on the record that he didn’t give the Knicks much consideration.
But it’s noteworthy that in the aftermath of free agency last summer, some people in touch with the Knicks said members of the organization expressed confidence that Durant would have signed with New York if he hadn’t suffered the Achilles injury in the NBA Finals, per SNY sources.
As things currently stand, the Knicks are far from Championship contention. With a losing culture, a mismatched roster, and no clear locker room leader, they have a long road of recovery ahead of them.
Durant could have changed all of that for them. As one of the best players in the NBA, and a career 27-point-per-game scorer, he could have been the piece to help them turn things around.
Unfortunately, the circumstances led to Durant signing with Brooklyn. Whether it was his Achille injury or simply the current state of the team, he decided that the Knicks were no place to call home.
