It was Kevin Durant’s commerce request that formally ended the Nets’ most up-to-date window of rivalry.
Now that they’ve lastly began a rebuild two years later, Durant has watched from afar and mentioned he can see it on target.
Durant introduced his Suns to Barclays Middle on Wednesday, the place he’d mixed with Kyrie Irving and James Harden to type probably the most potent Massive 3’s in NBA historical past.
However they spectacularly flamed out, successful only a single playoff sequence within the components of 4 seasons Durant and Irving had been collectively.
“You see so many fans who still remember those times and appreciate it — even though we went through a lot of dysfunction, I guess you could call it, for lack of a better term. But regardless of that, a lot of people still supported and still came out, cheered loud as hell for the game of basketball and for the Nets,” Durant mentioned. “It was here in this borough of Brooklyn, the little brother. It was always fun being a little brother and representing the little brother in the city.”
Durant famously spurned the massive brother, rejected the Knicks to return to Brooklyn as a bundle take care of Irving in 2019.
They recruited Harden to type a Massive 3 that misplaced to eventual champ Milwaukee within the 2021 Jap Convention semifinals when each Harden and Irving bought harm.
Irving missed two-thirds of the following season for refusing to stick to the town’s COVID vaccine mandates, and Harden demanded a transfer on the commerce deadline.
After Irving did the identical on the subsequent 12 months’s deadline, Durant lastly requested out.
The Massive 3 was over after simply 16 appearances collectively, undone by a bunch of things.
“Injuries, COVID, us just not getting on the court,” Durant mentioned. “These two had been the most important components. Individuals would say our attitudes, three guys’ personalities didn’t mesh nicely. [There were] quite a lot of narratives going round about every particular person participant — me, James and Kyrie — about our mentality as males. However as soon as we bought on the court docket and as soon as we truly performed collectively, when you noticed the tradition we had been constructing, it was one thing the followers may get behind.
“That first 12 months when James bought right here midway via the season was a number of the most unimaginable basketball that I’ve seen, I performed in. However extra so than something — within the locker room, the bus rides, the airplane rides, the motels — that was the tradition we had been constructing. Lots of people didn’t get to see it, however I want they may have. It was particular.
“The main thing was that we just didn’t get on the court together and a lot of injuries — injuries to me, James and Kyrie played a factor. Along with COVID, that whole thing just [caused] a lot of s–t.”
Durant got here into Barclays averaging a stellar 27.3 factors, however he’s 36 and his Suns had been simply .500 (21-21).
Brooklyn was 14-30, however tops the NBA in each wage cap house this summer time (an estimated $65 million) and future first-round picks (15, 4 of them this June).
Most of that draft haul is both straight or not directly from the Durant commerce — eight unprotected firsts, one other flippantly protected first and a swap.
“Definitely, I want to see this franchise do well,” Durant mentioned of the Nets. “What’s it, 12 or 13 picks that they’ve bought? Belongings, that’s crucial factor with a rebuilding group is the belongings. The product on the ground, it could be inconsistent some video games. They beat us early within the season and seemed nice, and you then lose to the Clippers by 40 or 50, and that may not look nice.
“But when you look at the big picture, you’ve got young guys that are getting experience and playing time. You’re building assets and getting future picks. And hopefully you can draft well, put the team together well. So I think they’re walking in the right direction. I think the fans definitely want to see some great basketball on the floor, and I think it’s coming for this team.”
