"Egregious" - Kevin Durant responds to Stephen A. Smith’s comments on his legacy if the Brooklyn Nets fail to win the NBA title

KD and Stephen A. Smith have been going back and forth on the former's legacy should the Brooklyn Nets fail to win the NBA title this season.[Photo: New York Post]

Kevin Durant’s value to the Brooklyn Nets is even more pronounced with his absence. Even with the availability of Kyrie Irving and James Harden away from Barclays Center, the Nets have lacked that edge this season that only Durant has brought so far. With Brooklyn struggling and Harden’s free-agency looming, Durant’s legacy is already being speculated upon.

While still recovering from a knee injury, the four-time scoring champ has apparently heard comments made about his legacy. The NBA’s scoring leader took time to respond to ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith on the latter’s prediction on what could happen if the Nets don’t win the crown.

Here is Durant's simple and straightforward response to the First Take co-host’s analysis:

“Egregious”

@ESPNNBA @stephenasmith Egregious

Kevin Durant practically slammed Stephen A. Smith’s pronouncement with a one-word rebuttal. The Nets star finds the sports analyst’s take as nothing less than an incredibly glaring mistake. It’s almost unfathomable for Durant to think why basketball fans will remember him more for leaving Steph Curry rather than being a two-time champion.

Stephen A. Smith previously made this bold proclamation, which earned a snappy reply from Durant:

“If these brothers [Brooklyn Nets] do not win a championship. … KD is on the verge for being recognized more so for the guy that left Steph Curry to go with Kyrie Irving, than he is for the two chips and two finals MVP.”

“If [the Nets] do not win a championship. … Kevin Durant is on the verge for being recognized more so for the guy that left Steph Curry to go with Kyrie Irving, than he is for the two chips and two finals MVP.”

—@stephenasmith 😳 https://t.co/HqCuCP86WS

Just how Durant’s legacy will turn out to be will only be proven over time. It remains to be seen how basketball fans will remember one of the greatest players the NBA has ever seen. What’s certain, though, is how much the Brooklyn Nets have relied on Kevin Durant to bring them the championship.

Stephen A. Smith quickly gets back to Kevin Durant to explain the situation

Kevin Durant, leaving the Steph Curry for Kyrie Irving, could be Durant's lasting impression on basketball fans according to Stephen A. Smith. [Photo: New York Post]

The back-and-forth between the Brooklyn Nets superstar and Stephen A. Smith is just starting to heat up. Smith wasted no time responding to the 33-year-old All-Star with an emphasis on understanding the unfairness but reality of the situation:

“It’s absolutely Egregious, @KDTrey5. Totally wrong and unfair to the highest degree. But it also happens to be true. Those will be the headlines all off-season. I’m not saying it’s fair at all because it’s not. You deserve better. But those will be the headlines. You can book it!”

Booking it might just be jumping the gun as a lot can still happen in the future. Even if Kevin Durant does not win the championship with this version of the Nets’ Big 3, he might just end up winning one with a different cast.

People could very well just remember the Slim Reaper as simply one of the greatest to ever lace up a pair of basketball sneakers.