One of the greatest scorers in the entirety of the NBA, Kevin Durant joined the Brooklyn Nets in 2019 and played for the team till 2023 in what is considered one of the biggest ‘what if’ moves in the league history.
Following disagreements with the team’s front office, Durant and the team eventually ended their relationship through a trade, sending the player to the Phoenix Suns, where he teamed up with Devin Booker. Earlier today, superstar Kevin Durant played the Brooklyn Nets at the Nets’ arena for the first time since his departure.
Nets’ Tribute despite Durant’s opposition
As the Brooklyn Nets were preparing to welcome their former superstar Kevin Durant with great glamour and excitement, Durant had other plans initially.
However, Durant wasn’t necessarily fond of the idea and opposed the idea of a tribute video, considering that there was no significant victory in the superstar’s tenure with the team. Playing alongside Kyrie Irving, Durant and the team failed to make the NBA Finals in any of the seasons the star played.
While many assumed that the addition of James Harden would make the team immediate contenders, the trio went on to play only 17 games together. In short, there was nothing memorable that Kevin Durant achieved with or for the Brooklyn Nets, something that his co-star Kyrie Irving strongly regretted.
Kevin Durant originally commented on X asking for the Nets not to make a tribute video: “Please don’t, the night will be better without it,” he said. However, the Nets did not take any heed to the player’s opposition and proceeded to display a video that showed Durant’s highlights in his time with the Nets.
The video did not give any soft corners to Durant, who went off against his former team, scoring a game-high 33 points with remarkable efficiency. Under the performances of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, the Suns glided to a 136-120 victory against the Eastern Conference team, extending their record in the last 10 games to 8-2.
Durant’s classy response
Kevin Durant was extremely respectful and grateful to the Nets organization for their kind gesture. Speaking to the media after the game, the ‘Slim Reaper’ expressed his gratitude to his former team, saying that he respected the fact that he was honored by the team for his services despite his short tenure with the team.
Durant said, “It’s classy people here. It shows a great organization when you can appreciate everybody who stepped foot and put their blood, sweat and tears into your organization. I respect that.”
Playing over 120 games for the Nets, Durant was an offensive beast. Starting in 126 games out of the 129 he played for the team, Durant averaged 29.1 points per game, along with 7.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists.
What do you think of Kevin Durant’s tenure with the Nets? Will he win a title with the Phoenix Suns? We are eager to know your thoughts and opinions regarding Kevin Durant’s chances with the Phoenix Suns, so feel free to comment below.
