In a chat with his agent, Rich Kleiman, on 'the Boardroom' podcast, Suns star Kevin Durant finally shed some light on his decision to join the Nets in 2019. Despite pressure from his agent, who wanted him to sign there, Durant spurned the orange and blue in favor of a partnership with his friend, Kyrie Irving, on the Nets. The reasoning, according to Durant, had to do with the state of the franchise at the time.
“At that time they weren’t. The Knicks weren’t cool. But they are a cool brand…Like right now, they poppin…last few years. But before that..the brand was cool but…I was looking at the team," said Durant. "And the team was not cool to play for. The team was not cool to watch…I might have embellished or lied a little bit about the brand, I might’ve thrown the brand in there too. But of course, the Knicks brand, like—living in New York made me truly realize how it’s the greatest city in the world…”
Durant didn't elaborate further on what made the Knicks so uncool at the time, but it doesn't take a genius to guess what he could have meant. Back in 2019, the Knicks were not nearly in the state they're in now. In the aftermath of the Carmelo Anthony era, the team was in a full rebuild and had just finished the previous season dead last in the East with a 17-65 record.
After three straight trips to the NBA Finals, Kevin Durant would only go somewhere where he could compete for a championship without the unnecessary drama. As a struggling, mismanaged team in the heart of New York City, that kind of lifestyle was never going to happen with the Knicks even if they have become a much better team today.
The New York Knicks Are Hunting For A Star
Today, the New York Knicks are one of the best teams in the East with Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, OG Anunboby, and Mitchell Robinson leading the way. Injuries aside, they've been pretty impressive all season long and look better than ever after the deal for Anunoby earlier this month. Currently, they rank 4th in the East with a 33-22 record overall.
Even so, there are some questions about the team's potential this season. Without a true superstar (someone like Kevin Durant) leading the team, the Knicks are at a major disadvantage against any top-level contenders in the postseason, especially against a team like the Bucks and Celtics who are rich with high-level stars.
This summer, with assets to spare and flexibility in the cap, the Knicks will have their chance to make a big move. Whether it's LeBron James, Joel Embiid, or some other big-name player, the Knicks are long overdue to sign a marquee player, and the moment that they do could break the NBA completely.
Today, unlike in 2019, the Knicks are on the right track and the vibes both in and around the locker room are healthier than ever before. If they can make a deep playoff run this year, or even advance to the Finals, it might be enough to convince the next superstar to force his way to Madison Square Garden.
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