“Kevin Durant got more fanboys in the media than he would like for you to realize” - Analyst says KD has escaped criticism by working through backdoor, letting Westbrook and Kyrie take blame
The Brooklyn Nets has been criticized for their star-oriented system that spotlights Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The style of play was revealed as not team-based like most franchises.
Reflecting on his time as a Nets guard, Goran Dragic said he found it difficult as the franchise was hinged more on individual performances and not team play:
“It was quite hard, because it wasn’t about the team, but more about individual performances.”
Goran Dragic didn't have a good time in Brooklyn. 👀 https://t.co/4a6l82sybn
On "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed," Shannon Sharpe said he agreed with the 36-year old All-Star, saying that the Nets "turned the keys over" to Durant and Irving.
Goran Dragic says Brooklyn's focus was on individual success not team:
"Dragic spent time in Miami and we know about the Heat culture, which is team first. He was only in Brooklyn for 3 months, can you imagine what it was like with KD and Kyrie for 3 years?" — @ShannonSharpe https://t.co/YIxaqhJf4I
Sharpe also said that KD does not like being a leader because he does not want to take responsibility. He added that the forward has "fanboys in the media" who do not shed light on these issues.
"The Nets turned the keys of the car over to KD and Kyrie, and they didn't use them in a responsible manner to create a winning environment," Sharpe said. "And this is why Kevin Durant does not like being a leader, because for the longest time, not being a leader has allowed him to escape responsibility of things that transpired.
"Durant got more fanboys in the media than he will like for you to realize, he escapes criticism. This is what we've seen."
Sharpe said that Durant, who makes some trade decisions, will shy away from responsibilities when things go sour, leaving his teammates to take the blame. He referenced Durant's time with Russell Westbrook at the OKC Thunder and with Kyrie at the Nets.
Is Kevin Durant to blame for the Brooklyn Nets misfortunes?
Durant's time with the Brooklyn Nets has been unsuccessful. Fans and the NBA community had high hopes with the duo of Durant and Irving. The experiment has, however, produced only one playoff series victory.
Durant has often been accused of being responsible for Kenny Atkinson being fired and replaced with Steve Nash. He has also been said to have signed off on several trades since joining the franchise in 2019. These decisions are said to have played a role in the franchise's woes. Some have argued that it's appalling for the forward to exit the team after shaping it to his wishes.