"Brooklyn was KD's opportunity to say I can do things without Curry" - Shannon Sharpe agrees with anonymous GM that Kevin Durant can’t win a ring without Steph Curry
Kevin Durant’s desire to leave the Brooklyn Nets has opened a can of worms. Amidst the trade saga, Durant has received a lot of criticism for not being able to win without Steph Curry.
Kevin Durant left the Golden State Warriors three seasons back, the first of which he missed entirely. But over the next two seasons, he has only one postseason series win to show for.
Although injury trouble has been a concern, a fully healthy Kevin Durant was swept by the Boston Celtics in the 2022 playoffs. Durant averaged 26.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in four games against the Celtics. His contribution was significantly lesser than his previous playoff appearances.
In fact, the only time he contributed lesser was in the 2010 playoffs – when he was just 21-years-old.
.@ShannonSharpe on an NBA GM saying KD isn't winning any titles without Steph:
"It's hard to argue. Brooklyn was KD's opportunity to say I can do things without Curry, Klay and Draymond...Look at the teams he has on his list. KD doesn't want to grind, he wants it already made." https://t.co/Xk0Dl3rQfY
Shannon Sharpe of “Undisputed” weighed in on reports suggesting that Kevin Durant is unlikely to win another title – without Stephen Curry, as he said:
“Brooklyn was Kevin’s opportunity to say, ‘I can do things without Stephen Curry, without Klay Thompson, without Draymond Green. That was his opportunity, that’s what he was going to do. Because one title in Brooklyn was going to mean more than two in Golden State.”
Durant’s 2021-22 campaign may have been highly dramatic, with Kyrie Irving being part-time and James Harden moving to the Philadelphia 76ers.
However, the Brooklyn Nets managed to earn a playoff spot, and the duo of Durant and Irving were unable to win a single game.
Most PPG by a Nets player:
28.7 — Kevin Durant
27.1 — Kyrie Irving
23.6 — Vince Carter
23.4 — James Harden
Carter has played more games for the Nets than Harden, Irving and Durant combined. https://t.co/aaGaE7r1V7
With everything said and done, Durant is a player who will continue to draw interest from multiple teams. A player of his caliber would make any team significantly better.
Now, it only comes down to what the Brooklyn Nets are able to conjure up in exchange.
Kevin Durant has received some heat for his choice of trade destinations
Earlier in the summer, when reports suggested Durant wanted out of the Brooklyn Nets, it came with a list of preferred landing spots. The Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat were among the top two in that list.
However, there hasn’t been much reported progress in that area, because to get a player like Durant – these teams will have to give up significant stars.
"When I hosted the ESPYs five years ago, I made a little quip about Kevin Durant wanting to play for a great team that made a lot of headlines. Feel free to use that one because it hasn't aged a day."
Peyton Manning giving Steph Curry advice on jokes 😂
https://t.co/SEiIURrWo9
Shannon Sharpe went on to speak about Durant wanting the road to the title to be an easy one, saying:
“There is a reason why, when Kevin Durant requested a trade – name the teams that he put on the top of the list. Teams that are already there, one team was in the Western Conference Finals, one team was in the Eastern Conference Finals.
“Kevin Durant don’t want that grind. See, there is a grind when you put a team together, and you have to grow.”
This image of Durant was built when he left the Oklahoma City Thunder – and joined the Golden State Warriors, a year after they had just won the title. Apart from the Suns and Heat, the Washington Wizards have shown significant interest in bringing Durant on board.
However, the recent past has suggested that Kevin Durant seems unfazed by what the critics have to say. He is likely to go wherever he feels he has a good chance of winning.