Imagine being apart of an ecosystem where there is a coach that's brilliant, a system is designed for team success over the individual, and a front office that supports the vision of that ecosystem.
But what if even when you asked for the said ecosystem, you still want to operate on your own accord.
Backwards much? Yes, but for Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, it's simply their reality.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving evidently have abandoned their safe havens in Golden State and Boston, to team up where they can be the focal points of the team's success. Irving showed he had issues with the team concept in Boston, while Durant felt he couldn't be one of the guys in the Bay Area.
What gives?
Especially when both players departed their previous teams in 2016/17 due to the lack of focus on team, while dealing with the focus on iso-ball being ran through another talented star. When both players left Oklahoma City/Cleveland for Golden State/Boston, it appeared they wanted to play in a more structured environment. It made sense, we thought. Steve Kerr and Brad Stevens are gifted craftsmen of plays and culture.
But by the end of the 2019 NBA season, it became clear that both players used team basketball as a smokescreen to secretly be the man they couldn't be with their prior teams. Durant had an unceremonious exit with the Warriors. The same can be said for Irving and the Celtics.
Now, both players are granted the autonomy they wanted: full control and unquestioned leadership. The two won't be confined by a brilliant coach with a great philosophy. They also won't be sucked into the concept of team-first.
Team's win championships, systems sustain forever. The Warriors and the Celtics built their brand utilizing both concepts. Durant and Irving playing for the Warriors and Celtics appeared to be a match between efficient basketball players and efficient basketball coaching.
Because when you examine the dynasties, a superstar player paired with a superstar coach produced results. See: Brady/Belichick, Montana/Walsh, Kobe/Jordan/Phil, Kerr/Curry. When Kevin Durant came, it appeared he wanted to be next in line.
Fit matters, and Great players want great coaching. Durant and Irving provided the lip service that supported that claim. But in the end, they just wanted everything for themselves.
Durant's recent comments about the Warriors said a lot about his departure. Durant stated he never felt like one of the guys: he felt confined to the system. No matter what he did, he was never a Steph Curry, Klay Thompson or Draymond Green. For someone to not have the self-awareness on the impact of his decision to join the Warriors in 2016, his comments made everything make sense.
Irving's apparent insecurity of leadership and sharing the ball was also telling. He wanted to escape LeBron's shadow and lead a team. But as Durant found out, Irving still had to compete with the players on his team, a brilliant coach with a brilliant system for credit.
We will perhaps never know why the two superstars couldn't embrace the team concept. They were both relatively successful in their own right: Durant became a two-time NBA Finals champion, and Irving perhaps would have taken the Celtics to the Finals had he not had knee surgery to miss the 2018 NBA postseason.
But even when everything lined up for Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, it wasn't enough. Curry got too much credit. Kerr “made” Durant better. Stevens developed a team to compete. In fact, Stevens took a team one quarter away from the NBA Finals-without Irving.
Ego can be a terrible thing to a team, and it was smart for Boston and Golden State to let nature run its course. Stevens and Kerr have worked too hard to establish a team-first culture. Durant and Irving secretly wanted to wreck that.
This is why the two players are truly meant for each other. In Brooklyn, they won't have to worry about a system or players competing for shine. When Durant returns next spring/season, he will still be one of the best NBA players, but also seen as a elder statesmen. Irving will be the focal point, but Durant will, too.
But what makes this entire tale sad is that Kerr and Stevens had the resources to give Durant and Irving everything they asked for. But just like in dating, if you aren't ready, it won't matter. Even if the guy/girl is everything you wished for, you as a person have to be ready for that commitment and love. Durant and Irving left their perfect matches at the alter.
So, here we are. Boston and Golden State became three much for Irving and Durant's psyche, so they bailed. We can only hope that the same issues that plagued their perceived perfect fits won't reoccur in Brooklyn. However, sometimes two people who have the same personality don't always gel. That's a sight we can only evaluate in due time.
In the mean time, we can only hope that Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant get everything they want and more. No more competition from outside factors: just them getting all the glory and credit. The Nets are counting on it.
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