The Brooklyn Nets acquired Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving just three seasons ago. Many believed that this meant that the Nets will remain a championship contender for years to come. Moreover, the fans of the franchise, finally hoped that their team would win an NBA Championship.
Fast forward to 2022, the Nets have not only failed to win any rings in the past three seasons, they are already on the verge of undergoing yet another rebuilding. The primary reason for it is due to Kevin Durant’s sudden demand to be traded.
KD is unarguably the best thing that ever happened to the Nets, but he has had enough. Over the last three years, he has probably observed that the franchise is not serious about winning and wants out. Yahoo! Sports’ Vincent Goodwill gave a pretty amazing breakdown about this. He thoroughly explained why KD has asked for a trade and why he chose the Phoenix Suns and the Miami Heat as his preferred destinations.
Via Yahoo! Sports:
“The Nets had to say yes to Durant and Irving, they’d be fools not to. They had no identity on the NBA’s cultural map, in the shadow of the back-page grabbing Knicks. But it appears they didn’t set actual parameters, as if they were so grateful to be graced by today’s stars they didn’t bother to have a level of structure to be followed, let alone respected.
It’s no coincidence the two franchises Durant has eyed represent some kind of stability and competitive consistency, with the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat being atop his list. For all the influence Durant perhaps craved and was granted in Brooklyn, he’s a hooper first and second — with the game being the main thing with #HeatCulture and in the Suns’ building.
Sources told Yahoo Sports wanting to play alongside Devin Booker is a main motivation, along with the possibility of being slated next to Miami’s resident hard-a** Jimmy Butler — two players whose attendance is rarely questioned.
Who does Durant feel like he can trust? Perhaps it’s Irving, but even that has to be shaken at this point. It’s impossible to interpret his state of mind, but if it’s possible to give him credit, he knew when it was time to leave.
Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra, the unwavering duo capable of handling everything from LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to Butler and everyone in between, looks like a beacon next to the clown show in Brooklyn. Monty Williams is the adult in Phoenix, perhaps overshadowing the controversy at levels higher than himself, with a great relationship with Durant — while also not being afraid to coach him.
Goodwill pointed out the fact that KD wants to play with players who are actually serious about the game of basketball. Now, this can also be perceived as a call-out on Kyrie Irving.
But there is not much Irving can say about in his defense. After all, he has given the Nets a lot of trouble since his arrival. Now, after Durant, it seems inevitable that Irving will also leave the team very soon.
