Nearing a year has passed since the trade that sent Kevin Durant frоm the Brооklyn Nets tо the Phоenix Suns, and the 2018 NBA Finals MVP has nоw prоvided an explanatiоn fоr his request tо depart frоm the team.
The power forward’s pursuit of NBA greatness was the apparent motivation, with the New York franchise’s unreliability being cited as the final straw.
“About Brooklyn?” The lack of cohesion and consistency in our team identity was the main problem, Durant told the New York Post. You have to establish your identity from the start if you want to win a championship, and there were a lot of factors beyond our control that prevented us from doing so.
That is simply the nature of basketball. That doesn’t apply to the NBA specifically. From executives to players, we all improved as players and gained valuable experience that will help us navigate the NBA with confidence.
I can see why Durant would want to take his talents somewhere if he wants to add to his already immense legacy in the game, which is widely loved in the US and throughout the world.
He won most valuable player in the NBA Finals in both of his championship seasons (2017) and (2018). A 13-time All-Star, two-time All-Star game MVP (2012, 2019), and 2008 rookie of the year, he won the NBA MVP award in 2014. Also, he won the gold medal at the Olympics three times: in 2012, 2016, and 2020. For his career, he has averaged 27.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game; in 2023–24, he is exceeding those mark.
A deal including Durant had been requested previously.
In 2022, Durant sought to join the Phoenix Suns, the team he is currently a part of, marking the first time he requested to leave the Nets. He signed with the Nets in 2019. Mikal Bridges, a 6 feet 11 inch guy, was forced to stay in New York for an additional year since the Suns declined to include him in the trade.
“I did try [to move earlier], they just refused to get rid of me,” claimed Durant. I dove in, but the clock ran out. This whole process was meant to prevent me from missing any games.
I figured, “Whatever happens, happens,” and was ready for the season as soon as it arrived. So everything fell into place exactly as it should have.
It says a lot about his character that he didn’t try to force the deal through by refusing to play, instead focusing on playing ball.
