Kevin Durant‘s decision to join the Brooklyn Nets released shockwaves throughout the entire NBA last year and left the league appearing somewhat unrecognizable after just a few chaotic hours.
Some franchises grew from afterthoughts into contenders, others brought down a thunderous and destructive hammer to usher in a rebuilding period, and, well — the New York Knicks stayed being the New York Knicks.
With Durant’s choice igniting an unforgettable NBA free agency frenzy, navigating and researching what exactly reeled Durant into the Barclays Center appeared worth the while. Nets GM Sean Marks added some light to the subject when serving as a radio guest this week. Marks surprised listeners early on when mentioning that Durant neglected to even arrange a formal meeting with Brooklyn prior to reaching a decision. Marks then followed up with another interesting tidbit after mentioning that Brooklyn’s system and play style attracted Durant, allowing him to make a decision long before the free agency period commenced.
Marks claimed that during a conversation between the two Durant stated, “I love the system. I love how you guys play. I see how hard you guys play. … You were never out of games. We could never take you guys lightly.”
Although Brooklyn acquired league–wide appreciation for their gritty and competitive playing style during their campaign last year, most instead presumed new teammate Kyrie Irving and his choice to sign with the Nets stood as the primary reason Brooklyn walked away as winners during the “Durant sweepstakes.”
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Brooklyn entered last year coming off a lackluster season where the team won just 28 games. Unlike their cross–town rivals, who also looked to attain Durant this offseason, the Nets continued to play competitively, rather than tank. After starting last season with an 8–18 record, the team enjoyed a seven–game win streak that propelled the Nets back into the playoff picture and likely thus began to draw in Durant’s attention. Although the Nets proceeded to lose their first-round matchup to the Philadelphia 76ers, they successfully established a winning culture.
Even with a ruptured Achilles poising to sideline Durant next season, once he returns alongside Irving and other talented pieces such as DeAndre Jordan and Spencer Dinwiddie, look for the Nets to improve their “system” to an even greater extent as they contend for a national championship.
