Kevin Durant Put The Knicks On Blast While Explaining Why Many Free Agents Don’t Want To Sign With Them

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There were a number of free agents poised to hit the market at the end of the most recent NBA season but there was perhaps no more sought-after player than Kevin Durant, who most people thought would defect when his contract with Golden State expired based on reports he was over the Warriors.

There was plenty of speculation throughout the year concerning Durant’s ultimate destination and plenty of reports that he would take his talents to New York to play for the Knicks, who were in dire need of a big name after going six straight years without a playoff appearance.

Durant would ultimately end up in New York, but much to the chagrin of Knicks fans, he decided to join forces with Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn, which may have had something to do with James Dolan’s reluctance to give him a max contract after he ruptured his Achillies.

However, money may not have been the only motivating factor, as shortly after Durant announced he was signing with the Nets, a report came out that said he didn’t want to deal with the pressure of being the Knicks’ savior.

Now, we may have gotten some firsthand insight into Durant’s rationale thanks to a chat he had with Michael Kay in which he explained why many NBA players don’t have any interest in playing for the embattled franchise.

Here’s what he had to say:

“I think a lot of fans look at the Knicks as a brand and expect the younger players who, in their lifetime, don’t remember the Knicks being good.

I didn’t grow up with the Knicks. I saw the Knicks in the Finals but kids after me didn’t see that. The whole brand of the Knicks is not as cool as, let’s say, the Golden State Warriors or even the Lakers or the Nets now.

The cool thing right now is not the Knicks.”

Boom roasted.