Big saga of the summer, Kevin Durant’s potential Triple XL transfer finally gave birth to a mouse since the Nets star is still in Brooklyn after withdrawing his trade request last August. An end to the series as disappointing as Game of Thrones but which is in Durant’s interest according to the opinion of his former teammate at the Warriors Stephen Curry.
” All that for this. This is what we thought when Kevin Durant decided to stay at the Nets after weeks of speculation, various attempts to force his transfer, and above all 29 papers released in one weekend on your favorite site. The huge consideration demanded by the Nets and the four years remaining on KD’s contract made impossible a transfer that had the potential to alter the NBA landscape for seasons to come. So Durant had no choice but to back down, all after asking owner Joe Tsai to choose between him and the Sean Marks-Steve Nash duo. We don’t tell you the atmosphere there will be at training camp in Brooklyn at the end of the month and it once again promises a season full of twists and turns for the Nets, but the reality is that KD is still in New York and that he may be in a team better equipped for the title than if he had been transferred elsewhere. In any case, that’s what Stephen Curry thinks if we believe Matt Sullivan, who has just released a long article on the Warriors superstar for the magazine. Rolling Stone.
“While covering Curry last month, I observed him discussing the transfer market for Durant with Snoop Dogg. Curry hinted that Durant had unrealistic expectations that his preferred destinations would be able to keep a superstar roster despite the quid pro quo from Brooklyn. ‘He thinks if he goes to the Phoenix Suns they will have the same team. Or the Celtics, they have a little bit of everything, but they would have gone through a transition accompanying the transfer of Jaylen Brown, which is a very important piece.’ In the end, Curry agreed with Snoop that Kevin Durant did well to stay at the Nets. »
– Matt Sullivan
Among the questions surrounding Kevin Durant’s transfer request was why KD wouldn’t give Brooklyn’s current roster, which is clearly set up to play for the title, a chance. KD, Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons, Joe Harris, Seth Curry, Royce O’Neale, TJ Warren, promising youngsters… on paper it’s heavy. So obviously the uncertainties are there: can Kyrie Irving play more than one out of two games in a season? Which version of Ben Simmons will show up on the pitch after more than a year without playing? What level will guys like Harris and Warren play after long absences? Uncertainties that make the Nets’ next campaign as fascinating as it is unpredictable, but if the planets align it can hurt.
Nevertheless, even if Curry believes that staying in Brooklyn is the best thing for Kevin Durant, it does not mean that he would have refused a return from KD to Golden State. Not because he doesn’t believe in the current roster to do the double, but because we are simply talking about one of the best all-time players. There were some rumors of Durant’s potential comeback to the Bay a few weeks ago, with the Warriors even discussing the possibility of a transfer internally. “Of course we discussed it” assures Steph, whose opinion was obviously consulted. Curry has never closed the door to a meeting with KD, quite the contrary.
“I never hesitated. The idea of playing with KD and knowing him as a person from our three years together, I think KD is a really good guy. I think he is misunderstood. I think there are certain things that have happened in his life that make it hard for him to trust people around him. […] I understand all of that after playing with him and getting to know him. I love this guy. »
Together, they won two NBA titles in three appearances in the Finals, and above all they got to know each other on and off the court. Kevin Durant’s departure in 2019 after a turbulent past year has obviously not changed Steph’s affection for KD, who hopes to see his pal return to his comfort zone in Brooklyn.
Source texte : Rolling Stone