Back in 2019, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were — by far — the biggest names in NBA free agency. Notably, the word around the league was that they were ready to team up.
For months, it seemed like the New York Knicks were the frontrunners to get both of them. Then, in the eleventh hour, they wound up signing for their city rivals, the Brooklyn Nets.
Fast forward to today, and the two-time NBA champion dunked on the Knicks once again, admitting that his agent was pushing for him to join them, but they just weren’t cool.
Durant Didn’t Join The Knicks Because They Weren’t Cool
“At that time, they weren’t. The Knicks weren’t cool,” Durant said. “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.”
Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns brings the ball down the court against the Denver Nuggets.
Durant stated that the team simply wasn’t cool to watch. He loved living in New York City, and the Knicks were a strong brand, but that wasn’t enough to convince him:
“And the team was not cool to play for,” continued Durant. “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.”
Ironically, it’s not like the Nets were the most competitive team in the league by any means when he signed with them, so he would’ve also had to uplift their brand with his arrival.
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Charles Barkley takes another uncalled-for shot at Kevin Durant
At the end of the day, after all that transpired, perhaps Knicks fans are actually relieved that he didn’t join the team. Even so, some will always wonder what could’ve been.
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Would Durant and Irving have been able to lead the Knicks to a championship?
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