No disrespect to Patrick Ewing or Walt Frazier, but Kevin Durant would have instantly become the greatest player in Knicks history if he signed with New York as a free agent in 2019.
Instead, Durant chose to sign with the Nets, a decision that backfired and ended in him getting traded to the Suns.
Now that it’s been nearly four years, Durant has had time to reflect on a decision that could have far-reaching implications on his career, and perhaps keep him from scaling even greater heights.
In an interview with his manager, Rich Kleiman, on his “Boardroom” platform, Durant revealed that most people in his inner circle — including Kleiman — wanted him to join the Knicks over the Nets.
“You definitely did, you definitely did, more than anything,” Durant said of Kleiman’s wish for him to join the Knicks. “… My dad, you, love the Knicks. My aunt loves the Knicks.”
Durant explained his reasoning for ignoring his family’s wishes and picking the Nets.
“The [Knicks] brand was cool, but at the time, I’m not looking at the cool brand outside of the game,” Durant said. “I was looking at the team, and the [Knicks] was not cool to play for. The team was not cool to watch. It just wasn’t a good team to watch.”
On paper, can anyone really blame Durant for choosing the Nets? The Knicks finished with a league-worst record of 17-65 in the 2018-19 season, in the lead-up to Durant’s free agency period.
While the Nets weren’t setting the world on fire, either, they had built a winning culture under former coach Kenny Atkinson and finished the season with the sixth seed in the East.
If Durant found himself in the same position in 2024, he’d probably pick the Knicks.
“Living in New York made me realize it truly is the greatest city in the world,” Durant added, reflecting on his time with the Nets.
The Knicks have surely come a long way in four years. This spring, they have a legitimate chance to make the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the 1999-2000 season.
The Jalen Brunson-led squad currently has the sixth-shortest odds to win the NBA Championship.
