Kevin Durant responded to fans on X today regarding whether or not he should be given a tribute video from the Brooklyn Nets, who the Suns play on Wednesday.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!This will be Durant’s first time back in Brooklyn since being traded to the Suns on Feb. 8, 2023.
Durant left a very simple and straightforward message about how he feels about it: “Please don’t, the night will be better without it”.
Please don’t, the night will be better without it
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) January 28, 2024
Seems like me and nets frequent on the same page.
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) January 28, 2024
Durant’s time in Brooklyn did not pan out the way he wanted it too. The first comment he replied to said that a superstar talent is “obviously tied to results,” which is why the Nets could decide not to give him one.
It’s important to note that the Nets did not play a tribute video for James Harden when he returned despite rumors they would do so.
The Mavericks have not played in Brooklyn yet, so it is unclear if Kyrie Irving will get one or not.
Kevin Durant’s history in Brooklyn
Durant signed with the Nets on June 30, 2019 along with Irving. He got to Brooklyn by way of a sign-and-trade, four-year, $164 million deal that sent D’Angelo Russell to Golden State.
Durant did not play his entire first season in Brooklyn after tearing his Achilles in the Finals with the Warriors the year prior.
Despite Durant not playing, Kenny Atkinson was fired as head coach on March 7, 2020. Some suggested Durant and Irving had something to do with it.
Steve Nash was hired to replace him on Sept. 3, 2020 after Nash worked as a consultant in Golden State when Durant was there. This hiring came a week and a half after the Nets were eliminated from the NBA playoffs.
Durant finally made his long-awaited debut on Dec. 22, 2020, as the Nets blew out the Warriors behind 22 points in 25 minutes from Durant.
Less than a month after Durant’s first game, the Nets decided to make their Big 2 and Big 3. They traded for Harden from the Rockets on Jan. 13, 2021, giving up plenty of assets for the star guard.
The Nets had a golden opportunity entering the 2021 NBA playoffs to go all the way. However, they were eliminated in the second round by the Milwaukee Bucks after Durant infamously had his foot on the 3-point line on what would have been the game-winning shot in Game 7. This shot instead sent the game to overtime. The Bucks ended up winning the series and eventually the NBA Finals.
The team’s Big 3 only played in 14 games together this season. Irving and Harden only played four games each during this second-round series.
Durant then signaled he was ready to be in Brooklyn for the long term, signing a four-year, $194 million extension on Aug. 8, 2021.
Irving could not play due to his vaccination status to start the 2021 season. Durant, Harden and Irving only ended up playing two games together this season.
Harden requested a trade a couple weeks after Irving started playing again, and he landed with the Philadelphia 76ers on Feb. 10, 2022.
The Boston Celtics ended up sweeping the Nets in the first round of the 2022 playoffs.
After this result and the Nets deciding to not give Irving a contract extension, Durant requested a trade on June 30, 2022.
After almost two months of rumors, the Nets announced that they were moving forward in their partnership with Durant on Aug. 22, 2022.
On Nov. 2, 2022, the Nets fired Nash after a 2-5 start to the season.
Despite early season drama involving a controversial Instagram post by Irving, the Nets began to play really well under interim coach Jacque Vaughn.
However, on Feb. 3, 2023, Irving surprised everyone by requesting a trade with the Nets sitting in fourth place in the Eastern Conference after the two sides could not agree on an extension.
A few days later, Irving was traded to the Mavericks on Feb. 6.
New Suns’ owner Mat Ishbia made a huge splash in his first day on the job, trading for Durant a couple days after Irving was dealt.
In the end, Durant played 129 regular season games with Brooklyn, averaging 29.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists.
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
