Kevin Durant reveals why the Nets were ‘the most fun to play in a long time’

Kevin Durant spoke to a sold-out crowd in Brooklyn on Wednesday. Two years removed from the trade that sent him to the Suns and destroyed the Nets’ title hopes, he said playing at the Barclays Center remains a special experience.

“I’m just trying to come out here and put on a show and be the best I can be. This is my favorite arena, one of my favorite arenas. “After Footprint, it’s my second favorite arena in the league,” Durant said. “I’m just in New York.” Knowing that people here actually love basketball. There are a lot of fans who don’t love the ball as much as they should, in my opinion. But New Yorkers love basketball.

“Sometimes it would be awkward for them to support a good game for the other team, but you can appreciate that they enjoy watching a good game.” That’s probably the main reason (I like Barclays so much), just the passion you feel when you walk in here.”

As he did during his return to Brooklyn last season, Durant looked like an All-NBA himself, scoring 24 points and grabbing eight rebounds in the Suns’ 108-84 victory. A sea of ​​purple jerseys drowned out the subdued Nets crowd.

The loss, Brooklyn’s ninth in 10 games, was a reminder of how far the team has fallen since Durant’s tenure.

Kevin Durant reveals fond memories of the Nets during his return to Brooklyn

The The nets were the main story of the NBA when Durant and Kyrie Irving signed with the team in 2019. Their acquisition of James Harden at the 2021 trade deadline made them the title favorites. However, injuries derailed a promising 2021 playoff run, and Irving’s refusal to comply with the city’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate did the same the following season. Harden asked to report by the 2022 deadline, and Irving and Durant followed a year later.

While his tenure with the Nets was just one win away from a playoff series, Durant defied expectations after returning from an Achilles tear. He played some of the best basketball of his career, averaging 29.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists on 54/40/91 shooting in 129 appearances.

Despite the dysfunction, he said his time in Brooklyn was “the most fun I’ve had.”

“I wouldn’t say I learned just one lesson.” I really appreciate the time I spent here. I didn’t know what moving to New York, living in New York, playing basketball in New York would feel like. “I was a little nervous, to be honest, moving here,” Durant said. “But once I settled in and figured out my routine here, it was the most fun I’ve had playing ball in a long time.” I’ll tell you that. So I wouldn’t say it was just one lesson, but I really enjoyed it. Regardless of the chaos that was going on, I had a great time and dressed up for these fans and for the borough of Brooklyn.”

Doc The Nets fell from the fight for the title to the basement of the league since Durant’s departure, they are set to make a quick comeback. They lead the NBA with 31 draft picks over the next seven years, including 15 in the first round. Most of that capital is tied up in their Durant trade.

After moving Michael Bridges to the New York Knicks this summerBrooklyn’s return for Durant increased to nine first-round picks, two first-round trade picks and three second-round picks. They can add to that at this year’s deadline as they field offers for Cam Johnson, who is among the NBA’s most sought-after trade targets coming off a career-best season.

Brooklyn is also the only NBA team with significant cap space this summer (estimated at $60-70 million). While Durant has moved on from his tenure with the Nets as he chases another title in Phoenix, he’s rooting for his former team from afar.

“Definitely, I want to see this franchise do well,” he said. “What’s that, 12 or 13 spades they’ve got? Assets, that’s the most important thing with a reconstruction group is assets. Product on the floor, may be inconsistent with some games. They beat us early in the season and looked great, and then you lose to the Clippers by 40 or 50 and it might not look great.

“But when you look at the bigger picture, you have young guys getting experience and playing time. Build assets and get future choices. And hopefully you can draft well and build a team well. So I think they are going in the right direction. I think the fans definitely want to see great basketball on the floor, and I think that’s coming for this team.”