Kevin Durant is the kind of generational talent that teams wish to have on their roster. The 2-time NBA champion is arguably one of the greatest scorers the league has ever had. A future Hall of Famer, Kevin can transform rosters with his offensive talent and defensive presence.
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The former league MVP started his career in 2007 with the Oklahoma City Thunder (then Seattle SuperSonics), playing nine seasons with the franchise. He then signed a deal with the Golden State Warriors resulting in his most successful stint with a team. Durant won two championships and was part of, arguably, one of the greatest teams ever assembled. However, the tenure did not last long, and Kevin left the Warriors for the Brooklyn Nets.
Kevin was part of the Nets organization for 4+ years, and it would prove to be the most challenging stretch of his career. The Nets faced adversaries in the form of injuries, controversies, and continuous personnel changes during that period. Eventually, Durant decided to leave the organization. Recently he talked to ‘The Athletic’, expressing his feelings on the entire situation.
Kevin Durant’s career with the Brooklyn Nets
Kevin Durant joined the Brooklyn Nets in 2019 after losing the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors, where he tore his Achilles. He had to undergo surgery and would go on to miss the entire 2019-20 season. The upcoming season, however, would see him team up with former teammate James Harden creating the most lethal offensive trio.
What would follow was a series of unfortunate, at times self-inflicted events that would lead to the trio eventually being separated. The superstar pairing would play only 16 games together and fail to achieve any success. This led to Durant requesting a trade before the 2023 deadline and being traded to the Phoenix Suns.
Shams Charania of ‘The Ahletic’ interviewed Kevin and asked him if he felt vindicated. Here is what he had to say:
“Nah. Hell nah! I want the best for that organization. I have always wanted the best for us every game. I hated it had to go down like that. I wasn’t trying to prove that the Nets are a sh*tty organization. I was trying to prove that the Nets are a great organization, that they care about their players, want the best for their players. Certain sh*t just didn’t work out. I feel like we will be tied as family members for life regardless of how it finished.”
Kevin Durant’s move to the Phoenix Suns
Durant was traded to the Phoenix Suns before the 2023 trade deadline. The blockbuster trade involved the Nets receiving Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, four first-round draft picks, and a 2028 first-round pick swap.
The Phoenix Suns stint has not started on a positive note, with Durant injuring his ankle after the third game during pre-game warmups. He returned to action on the 29th of March against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
There is no arguing that the combination of Devin Booker and Kevin Durant is an NBA championship-winning pairing but with six games left in the regular season, will they have enough time to figure out the chemistry?
