“The weakest move by a superstar.” That’s what celebrity NBA pundit Stephen A. Smith said about Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Golden State Warriors back in 2016. He saw that move by Durant, as every NBA fan and pundit, as his attempt to take the easy road to the NBA glory. He did win the two titles with the Dubs, also winning the two NBA finals MVP, but could never win over the fans.
That’s a different matter altogether, but Smith went into Durant’s bad books. The 2014 NBA MVP labelled Smith “a liar” and called his views as “nonsense” in the past. However, the duo seemed to have patched when Smith appeared on Durant’s “The Boardroom.”
Now it is back to one guy being critical of another, with Smith, again, questioning Durant’s decision-making.
Smith, along with Max Kellerman and Jay Williams, was reacting to Durant’s business partner Rich Kleiman making a statement that KD may represent the United States of America at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics despite his year-long absence from the game due to an Achilles tendon injury he suffered in last season’s finals.
“The Nets are paying him,” Smith said.
“This is a superstar, a two-time champion, a league MVP that this game misses. All this talk about Kawhi, LeBron, Giannis. I wish KD was out there. I’d guarantee you he’d be averaging 27 and seven. I guarantee you Brooklyn would be one of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference if that brother was healthy.”
Brooklyn Nets signed Durant on a four-year, $164 million deal in July last year, along with Kyrie Irving and hoped to have him around the start of the playoffs. But Durant quelled all the rumours of his potential return this season back in November by saying that he will miss the rest of the season.
Durant is back in non-contact training and looked in very good shape and rhythm as he targets a full recovery.
Kevin Durant getting some shots up at Nets’ practice today. pic.twitter.com/sNbdtO00Lc
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) February 25, 2020
