Did Kevin Durant Just Sneaky Tell Us His Free Agency Plans?

Today a really interesting Q&A came out with Kevin Durant, so if you have the time you should definitely give it a read. It came from a reporter named Kerith Burke who spends her days covering the Warriors and such for NBC Sports San Francisco and it really seems like Durant was honest and opened up which made it a very intriguing read. For the sake of this blog though I want to focus on one part of the Q&A that stood out to me. Everyone knows Durant’s free agency situation this summer, everyone has a take on where he’ll go as they try and make something out of nothing in terms of internet videos, business openings, the list goes on and on.

For example, many think Kevin Durant is going to go to the Knicks to save his legacy. That how he was viewed as a player was ruined when he went to GS, and that the Knicks are the only thing that can save his legacy. Well, he was asked about that.

What do you want in free agency? How does legacy play into your next step?

It … it doesn’t. Like I said, I’m just focused on the day to day. How can I be the best player I can be? Can this environment help me be the best player than I can be every day? Am I still learning? Am I still having fun being a student of the game?

Just the small stuff that I try to [think about], to make sure I have everything covered so I can be the best I can be on the court.

Now when I read this, I found it odd for a few reasons. I feel like the whole reason Durant went to GS in the first place was because of his legacy. He was tired of always coming in second, he was tired of not being considered the best player in the world, he needed that ring to solidify his career as one of the all time great players. But what’s interesting is now that he’s accomplished all that, perhaps the idea of being liked or changing his legacy no longer matters. Every time he’s asked something about this idea, he says the same shit. Focus on the small things, being the best player he can be, blah blah blah. That’s the fluff I expected. But if the whole idea if him going to New York is he can finally rewrite his narrative and cement his legacy as a God if he brings a title to New York, what if Durant really doesn’t care about that stuff?

The second part of his answer is telling too. Can this environment help him be the best player he can be every day. Well in what world has the environment in NY ever been considered to make someone a better player? This is a guy who already hates the media and just so happens to play for the best environment in the NBA. Then there was this part as well

I’m going to ask you this question, and I know people will interpret it as a free agent question, but with your skills and what you’ve accomplished, do you feel the need to “build something” somewhere else? Do you need that for yourself?

I don’t need anything in this basketball world to fulfill anything in me. The NBA is never going to fulfill me. It’s going to make me feel good about all of the work that I’ve put in, but I think those days of me wanting to prove something to anybody or walk around with a huge chip on my shoulder is not my thing.

It wasn’t before, and I felt like I had to program myself to play with a chip on my shoulder, but I’m never good in that situation. I’m more relaxed and letting these days flow. I’m the best version of me.

I don’t feel like I need anything like that to prove who I am. I’ve been in it for too long.

That sure sounds like a guy that has no interest in trying to “build something” in a different location in order to prove himself. Fans may say that’s the missing piece of his legacy, but as we covered he apparently no longer gives a shit about that. He basically admitted that having to go that route isn’t what he considers the best situation for himself, and make no mistake about it, whatever big time free agent ends up in New York is going to have to prove themselves. I’m not sure that’s what Durant wants if you take what he said here to heart.

I look at it like this, fans hear the shit Kyrie says to the media and instantly assume he’s gone. Well why shouldn’t we do the same when it comes to Durant? Why shouldn’t we at least consider the possibility that for a guy who has already proven himself in the league that perhaps him staying put is what he wants. It’s not as if he’s in a bad situation or anything like that. Sure Warriors fans may always love Steph Curry more, but Durant is talking like a guy who loves where he is and doesn’t necessarily feel the need to get validation elsewhere.

Now even I can admit, this could just be 100% bullshit. But I will say when you hear him sit down and do these type of interviews/podcasts with people that he actually likes and respects, he usually is pretty honest. So maybe this was his way of telling everyone his free agent plans, and in that case you hate to hear it as a Knicks fan because he basically shut down every possible reason he should come to New York.