"They're not gonna win a championship there without trust, leadership, and respect" - Former NBA champion still not convinced with Nets despite Kevin Durant staying back
Kendrick Perkins is not all in on the idea of the Brooklyn Nets winning the championship, despite the Kevin Durant saga coming to an end. Almost two months after requesting a trade, the 'Slim Reaper' finally came to an agreement with the organization.
Many believe this will help the Nets become one of the favorites to win it all. However, former NBA player and current analyst Perkins has his doubts. He stated that the team lacks trust, leadership and respect, all three of which are important to a team's success. Speaking about the Nets' chances, Perkins said this on ESPN's "SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt":
"When I think about the whole situation and everything that has been going on in this organization, three words comes to mind. Trust, leadership and respect.
"The trust is not there because you don't know if Kyrie Irving is going to show up to work every day, you don't know if Kevin Durant is fully committed. He just requested a trade and then Ben Simmons, he just pushed his way out of Philly."
No doubt, Kevin Durant's decision to stay will prove to be a big one for the franchise. He is one of the best scorers in the league and is renowned for his ability to take over games.
Kevin Durant has removed his trade request after meeting with Joe Tsai, Sean Marks and Steve Nash yesterday.
The Nets are running it back. https://t.co/tqCmZt5Eju
Alongside Kevin Durant, the Nets will also have Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons. The Big 3 in Brooklyn will certainly look to elevate their team to be among the best in the league. However, Perkins believes that there are still a lot of problems on the Nets' roster. He said:
"So, I look at this whole situation entirely and I say, 'Yes, they do have the talent,' but they are talking about actually winning a championship there. They're not gonna win a championship there without trust, leadership and respect and they don't have that."
Kevin Durant will be on a mission this year 🔜 https://t.co/dIWs1Xxqbw
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How important is Kevin Durant going to be for the Brooklyn Nets next season?
Despite signing with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019, Kevin Durant has played only 90 regular-season games with the franchise so far. He had to sit out the first season because of an Achilles tear. However, in the limited number of games that he has played in, the two-time champion has put up some memorable performances.
Going into the 2022-23 season, Durant will be looking to lead the Nets to a deep playoff run. The team has had a lot of talent in the past three years. However, injuries and COVID protocols have stopped the team from fielding its best starting five. With a healthy roster in the upcoming season, Nets fans have reason to be optimistic.
KD and Kyrie in the lab 🧪 @KDTrey5 @KyrieIrving (via @ThroughTheLens) https://t.co/mmobpSecdd
Ben Simmons and Joe Harris will return from injuries. Simmons could be the Nets' primary playmaker and help them defensively. Harris' 3-point shooting will bolster Brooklyn's shooting prowess. Their return will take some of the pressure off of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Time to Run it Back 🔥🔥 Kevin Durant = Sniper 💰💰 https://t.co/WHDntp21Ru
With everything that transpired between Kevin Durant and the organization in the offseason, it remains to be seen how the management deals with the team's dynamics. All parties involved, though, will look to move forward and focus on what's really important: bringing Brooklyn a championship.