KD explained in an interview that part of the reason he requested a trade from Brooklyn was to play on a stable team with a championship culture. He had significant doubts that the Nets could accomplish that after spending the last three seasons with the franchise.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith promptly called out Durant’s reasoning for wanting to run away from the Nets:
Kevin Durant refused to hold Kyrie Irving accountable for his many off-court issues as a member of the Nets. He had little to say when Irving voluntarily missed games last season due to his refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
Once things got tough, Durant immediately looked for an exit. He wants to be a leader, but doesn’t want the responsibilities that come with being the number one option.
Stephen A. Smith compares Kevin Durant’s leadership to that of LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo
Kevin Durant could have taken a page out of LeBron James’ book, according to Stephen A. Smith:
Most of the time, the success or failure of LeBron James led teams were placed on his shoulder. Whether it is fair or not is irrelevant. He never runs away from the responsibility of being the franchise player. You can’t say the same about Durant:
Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets have agreed to move their partnership forward after a tumultuous summer. KD may not have the same leeway as before, but he certainly has the clout to dictate how the franchise operates. If he plays to the best of his abilities, he can single-handidly will the team to an NBA championship.
The Nets open their season against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 19.
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