During the NBA offseason, Kevin Durant was at the top of the conversation when it came to his trade request from the Brooklyn Nets. After much anticipation and back and forth between himself and management, KD decided to stay with the Nets after all.
At the most recent NBA media day, the press asked KD to explain his decision to stay with the Nets. Durant was able to settle the rumors once and for all and finally addressed the real reason why he initially made the trade request and how his current decision came about. He admitted that he did not feel he would achieve success in a team riddled with injuries, which later led to major uncertainty within the organization. KD acknowledges that he knows there is a clock on his time with the NBA and he hopes to be with a championship-caliber team at this point of his career. He said,
“It was a lot of uncertainty around our team last year. I committed to this organization for four years last summer with the idea that we were gonna be playing with that group that we kinda went on that little round, went to the second round with.
I felt like another year of that, us being healthy we were building something towards the future. So then as the season went on, you seen what happened with our season. Guys in and out of the lineup, injuries, just a lot of uncertainty which filled some doubt in my mind about the next 4 years of my career.
I mean I’m getting older, I want to be in a place that’s stable and try to build a championship culture so I had some doubts about that. I voiced them to Joe (Tsai) and we move forward from there.”
KD also explained that he was appreciative that the Nets stuck to their high asking price for him. When asked if he was surprised at the figure the Nets presented, he said he was not because he understood his worth,
“No. I know I’m that good that you’re just not going to just give me away. That’s one thing I did appreciate about Sean and Joe, that’s like ‘You’re too great for us to give you away. Just that easy, that simple.’ So I understand that, I know who I am.”
Brooklyn Nets play their first game of the season against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 20.
“There was a lot of uncertainty around our team last year… We came to a mutual agreement that we should keep moving forward.”
-Kevin Durant on his offseason with the Nets. #NBAMediaDay pic.twitter.com/dlYEGmeoPP
— NBA TV (@NBATV) September 26, 2022
Is Kevin Durant surprised that he’s still a Net?
“No. I know I’m that good that you’re not just going to give me away. I know who I am.” pic.twitter.com/tShm3swMYk
— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) September 26, 2022
In other sports news, the NFL announces “The Pro Bowl Games” featuring flag football.
Tagged: Sports