Kevin Durant's reputation would take a beating if he were to join Celtics
BOSTON -- Unhappy with his current situation in Brooklyn, Kevin Durant requested to be traded away from the Nets at the end of June. Monday's news may want to make him reconsider.
The news on Monday, of course, is that the Boston Celtics have entered the running to acquire the 12-time All-Star. While the information smells suspiciously like something that may have been leaked out from the Brooklyn end of things, it's nevertheless apparent that the Celtics have at least put forth an offer to try to add Durant to the mix in Boston.
Simply put, if the Celtics end up making the best offer, Durant should go ahead and rescind that trade request.
The fact is, despite twice being the Finals MVP on the Warriors superteams of 2017 and 2018, Durant's reputation has never fully developed past that of someone who joined the team that he couldn't beat. As you're surely aware, Durant's Oklahoma City Thunder held a 3-1 series lead over the Warriors in the 2016 Western Conference finals. Despite Durant's 32 points per game in Games 5-7, the Thunder blew that lead. The Warriors went on to the Finals, where they lost to LeBron James and the Cavaliers.
Durant then went on a free-agent tour, which included a visit from the Celtics (and Tom Brady, just because), before ultimately deciding on leaving the Thunder to join the ... Warriors.
It worked. They needed him. He needed them. They won a couple of titles.
Still, when it came down to it, rather than sticking with the Thunder and beating the team that ended his potential championship run, Durant decided he couldn't beat 'em, so he joined 'em. Fair enough.
Fast-forward a bit, and after making the mistake of trusting Kyrie Irving, the superteam fantasy in Brooklyn has been shattered. So he wants out.
But he can't go to the Celtics.
Not after the Celtics just swept him and Brooklyn out of the playoffs before going on a run to the Finals. Not after ascending star Jayson Tatum put the clamps on Durant throughout that short series. After the Celtics beat him, he's now going to join them? Can't do it.
Durant is one of the best players in the history of basketball. Whether or not the reputation he gained from joining the Warriors is warranted or accurate or fair, the fact is that it exists. He's too good of a player to make that move again.