Phoenix Suns standout Kevin Durant is steering clear of hypothetical musings surrounding his stint with the Brooklyn Nets. Following the Suns’ convincing 136-120 victory over the Nets, Durant expressed his disinterest in dwelling on what-ifs, emphasizing the futility of contemplating alternate scenarios.
According to SNY’s Ben Krimmel, Durant stated, “I mean, that’s just a pointless exercise, in my opinion, to think about what could’ve been. What happened, that’s what I thought about, what actually happened in the reality of it. We didn’t have enough time together, that’s just it. Guys wanted to go their separate ways. We tried our hardest to salvage everything and bring everything together. We had three or four different teams from when I signed here to when I left.”
Durant’s decision to join the Nets as a free agent in 2019 marked a significant shift from his successful tenure with the Golden State Warriors, where he secured two NBA titles in three seasons. His anticipated partnership with Kyrie Irving faced an initial setback when Durant missed their inaugural season due to a torn Achilles sustained during the 2019 Finals.
Despite efforts to build a formidable trio by adding James Harden in January 2021, the trio struggled to meet high expectations. Durant’s frequent injury setbacks, coupled with Irving’s limited appearances due to COVID-19 protocols, culminated in a playoff exit at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2020-21 season.
The subsequent season saw further challenges, with Durant grappling with injuries once again, and Irving’s restricted playing time. The Nets’ star trio faced a significant blow when Harden was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in February 2022. The team’s fortunes continued to decline, with the Boston Celtics sweeping them in the first round of the playoffs.
By the middle of the 2022-23 season, Durant and Irving found themselves on new teams—the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks, respectively. Durant, Irving, and Harden had shared the court for a mere 16 games across two seasons, with only one playoff series win to their name.
Despite the collective underperformance, Durant emphasized the individual success he achieved during his time with the Nets. “As an individual, I was an All-Star every year, leading vote-getter every year in the All-Star Game, sold a lot of jerseys, 50/40/90 (shooting splits), averaged 30, All-NBA. Was that successful?” he reflected.
Acknowledging the disparity between individual and team success, Durant pointed out the tendency to attribute team outcomes solely to the performance of star players. He encouraged a closer examination of his individual contributions and work ethic. “But team success is a different thing. How the team does, you like to put that on one of the best players and call it a failure. But you look at the work, and you wanna talk about me individually, you can just look at the work that I’ve put in here,” Durant elaborated.
In conclusion, Durant asserted his personal growth as a player, attributing his journey with the Nets to pushing him closer to mastering the game. Despite the team’s struggles, Durant remains focused on the positive aspects of his time in Brooklyn, emphasizing the invaluable lessons and advancements in his skill set.
