Will the Brooklyn Nets give Kevin Durant the validation that he’s searching for?
As magnificent as the new-look Brooklyn Nets can be on offense, should they win the NBA championship this season, that still might not be enough to bring Kevin Durant the validation he continues to seek.
Earlier this week, the Nets downed the LA Clippers in a close game 124-120. The Nets’ triple threat of James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and KD look unstoppable already. It feels like they are scoring 120-130 points every night. The big three of the Nets combined to score 90 of the teams 124 points against the Clippers.
The Nets feel like a team preparing to outscore the league on their way to an NBA title.
But even if they make it to the Finals and win, what type of recognition will they receive? What will be made of Kevin Durant winning his third ring on a superteam?
After winning his championship with Golden State, Durant admitted that he didn’t feel any different now that he’d finally reached the mountain top.
"[via ESPN]“After winning that championship (last season), I learned that much hadn’t changed.” Explained Durant. “I thought it would fill a certain [void]. It didn’t. That’s when I realized in the offseason that the only thing that matters is this game and how much work you put into it. Everything else off the court, social media, perception, isn’t important. What people say, how they view you, it’s not important.”"
Many of Durant’s detractors have discounted what he accomplished while apart of the Warriors franchise. Two championships in three years speak volumes in most cases. But some will forever see Durant joining the Warriors as the easy way to a title.
There were many reasons for KD to leave the Warriors. No matter how great he played, Durant knew he would never receive the same recognition as their homegrown players in Golden State. Then, there was the Draymond Green incident during Durant’s final season with the Warriors that all but sealed the fate of that version of the Warriors.
KD left the Warriors to find “his own” team, hoping that teaming up with best friend Kyrie Irving would make him happy and garner more respect. Then, one month into season two in Brooklyn, the Nets make a blockbuster trade for Harden and Durant is right back where he was with the Warriors. The best player on a super team.
Durant isn’t the leader on his new team either. The leadership role seems to have fallen on the narrow shoulders of Irving. Of the three, Irving comes off as having the strongest personality. How far the Nets can go with Irving leading the way is yet to be seen.
It is tough to tell whether Durant has found the happiness he’s been seeking for the better part of his career. Championships one and two didn’t seem to satisfy his inner being. So, who is to say a third, fourth, or even fifth would do the trick?
Durant was supposed to be the leader of this team. We all know who the best player is, but is he the true and unquestioned leader of this group? Only time will reveal the answer to this question and many others.