NBA Rumors: Kevin Durant Would Have Chosen Knicks Over Nets If He Didn’t Suffer Injury In 2019 NBA Finals
When the 2019 NBA offseason started, New York Knicks owner James Dolan expressed strong confidence that multiple superstars would be joining their team. Unfortunately, despite entering the summer of 2019 loaded with trade assets and enough salary-cap space, the team still failed to acquire any big names on the trade and free-agent market. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, who were heavily linked to the Knicks before that year’s free agency period, ultimately ended up signing with a different New York-based team — the Brooklyn Nets.
Durant has already said that he really didn’t have any interest in playing for New York when he became an unrestricted free agent. However, despite his statements, Ian Begley of SportsNet New York revealed that some people inside the Knicks organization continue to believe that they had a realistic chance of acquiring Durant last summer. If he didn’t go down with an injury in the 2019 Finals, the organization was confident that the 10-time All-Star would have chosen them over the Nets last summer.
“The Durant-Irving topic is probably a tired one for most Knicks fans. Durant has said on the record that he didn’t give the Knicks much consideration. But it’s noteworthy that in the aftermath of free agency last summer, some people in touch with the Knicks said members of the organization expressed confidence that Durant would have signed with New York if he hadn’t suffered the Achilles injury in the NBA Finals, per SNY sources. Only Durant knows if he’d planned to sign with the Knicks before he got hurt. And, again, he’s said publicly that he didn’t give the Knicks much consideration.”
Even before Durant suffered an Achilles injury, the Knicks were already expressing strong optimism that he would be taking his talents to New York in last year’s free agency period. This was proven by their decision to keep Durant’s close pal, DeAndre Jordan, for the remainder of the 2018-19 season instead of moving him before the trade deadline. During that time, the Knicks thought that having Jordan on their roster would have given them a better chance of recruiting Durant.
Unfortunately for New York, Jordan was the one who was recruited by Irving and Durant to the Nets. A few days after handing the two superstars massive contracts, the Nets signed Jordan to a four-year, $40 million deal.
Despite the failed acquisition of Durant and Irving last summer, the Knicks still haven’t given up with their dream of signing a legitimate superstar. With Leon Rose as their new president of basketball operations, New York is expected to become more aggressive in chasing superstars who will be available in the 2020 NBA offseason.
