"I’ve been on the other side of this where KD ain’t happy" - NBA insider expresses confusion over how the Kevin Durant-Brooklyn Nets situation might play out
Kevin Durant’s decision to commit long-term to the Brooklyn Nets has significantly shifted their title odds. Most oddsmakers now place Brooklyn among the top five favorites for the NBA championship next season.
A healthy Durant with a chip on his shoulder could mean good things for the Nets. However, The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson, who has been extensively covering the Golden State Warriors, doesn't see it that way.
On "The Athletic NBA Show" podcast, Thompson recalled KD’s time with the Warriors when things turned sour and compared it to his situation in Brooklyn:
“Before you get to the games, training camp’s gonna happen and KD’s gonna show up to a team that he basically told everybody I don’t wanna play for, for a coach that he tried to get fired. How does that work!?
“I’ve been on the other side of this where KD ain’t happy, he want out and everything was all bad once he brought that vibe to the room.”
Kevin Durant’s last season with the Warriors was filled with tension. It didn’t have the same exciting vibe as KD’s previous two years with the Bay Area team. Marcus Thompson, like many in the media at the time, predicted Durant’s time with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green would soon be over.
Despite all of that, the Golden State Warriors still had the opportunity to win a third straight NBA title when they faced the Toronto Raptors in the Finals. Only injuries to Durant and Thompson prevented a rare three-peat.
What Kevin Durant had with the Warriors back then isn’t what he will have with the Brooklyn Nets next season. Nets Coach Steve Nash isn’t on the same level as Warriors tactician Steve Kerr, while Kyrie Irving is nowhere near as accomplished as Steph Curry.
This Brooklyn Nets/KD situation is confusing...
“I don’t have a problem with KD wanting out of this situation. Brooklyn is a pop-up shop. They have no culture… But what direction is he trying to go in?” — @JoyTaylorTalks https://t.co/iHbocNcZFZ
Brooklyn also doesn’t have a successful team culture.
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Kevin Durant is still the Brooklyn Nets’ ticket to the NBA Finals
Kevin Durant’s quality could force everyone in the Brooklyn Nets to set aside personal emotions. Nash will have to get over KD’s demand to have him fired while the front office has no choice but to support Durant.
Durant struggled in a playoff series for the first time in his career during last season’s matchup with the Boston Celtics. Boston’s length, physicality and defensive schemes flummoxed the four-time scoring champ.
Breaking: Kevin Durant has reached an agreement with the Nets to stay in Brooklyn, the team announced. https://t.co/q1rQn1bG7D
However, Durant is a diligent student of the game and will likely have learned from his mistakes.
Presumably, the Brooklyn Nets will have the best version of Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons next season. The former will be playing in a contract year while the latter has to prove he’s still an All-Star caliber player.
Mike Greenberg warns the NBA of the Brooklyn Nets
“This is your worst nightmare happening here. Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons are each individually highly motivated." ahnfiredigital.com/nba/brooklyn-n…
Irving and Simmons are great pieces for the Nets to have, but it’s Durant's performances that will determine if they are to win the championship. How the Brooklyn Nets can adjust and move forward after all the drama could determine how far they go next season.