The New York Knicks are still reeling from the dumbfounding free agency swing-and-miss of two top-of-the-line stars in Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, who chose to sign with the Brooklyn Nets.
Some members of the organization were confident that Durant would have signed with the Knicks had he not suffered the Achilles injury that ended his season in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, according to SNY's Ian Begley.
Durant has claimed that he never gave the Knicks much thought in free agency, yet the rumors all season long were about his potential departure to The Big Apple.
Much has been told and dispelled about Durant's decision to join the Nets. Spencer Dinwiddie was one of the few Nets players who encouraged Durant to make the move, and former Knick DeAndre Jordan put the finishing touches after sharing his brief experience with the franchise.
Couple that with the surprising season the Nets had in 2018-29, and going across the bridge seemed like the obvious choice for the trio of Irving, Durant, and Jordan.
Durant's Achilles injury was surely a game-changer, as it became more likely that he would have to sit out part if not the full 2019-20 season. At this point, he indeed will be sitting out the full season.
Yet perhaps this nugget speaks for how little chance the Knicks had to get Durant in free agency. New York was reportedly unwilling to offer him a max contract after he suffered the injury — a complete slap in the face and one that would easily erase the Knicks from the running.
Maybe thinking of what-ifs make some in the Knicks organization feel better about striking out. Still, they struck out looking, letting the ball travel past the plate instead of taking the big swings they were supposed to take.
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