Kevin Durant had the Brooklyn Nets minutes away from advancing to its first Eastern Conference Finals in 18 years after a rousing 48-point performance in 53 minutes played. It appeared as if he hit the game-winning three-pointer to send the Milwaukee Bucks home and set up a matchup with the young and talented Atlanta Hawks, fresh off of an upset of the top-ranked Philidelphia 76ers. We all know what happened next.

Durant's accomplishments with the Nets both on the court and in the community surely earned him the right to have a tribute video upon his arrival back to Brooklyn. But, Durant made it clear on Twitter that he didn't want a tribute. Twitter user Billy Reinhardt posted a poll on Twitter/X asking if Durant should get a tribute video when he returned to play the Nets on Wednesday evening. Out of the 15,863 votes, 56.7% of the participants believed that he shouldn't get a tribute video.

Commenting on the poll, Durant agreed with them.

“Please don’t, the night will be better without it,” he tweeted in response to the poll.

PsycoNetsFan, clearly in the contingent that believes that he shouldn't get a tribute video, made his feelings about the Nets possibly paying tribute to Durant by saying, “What would be in a @KDTrey5 Nets tribute video? I seriously mean that. The offseason buffoonery? Him selling during the Celtics series? Wasted years for Nets fans and the organization. Just let that career sunset”

Durant, once again agreed with the assertion that he shouldn't get a tribute video. “I agree wit u”

Nevertheless, the Nets played a tribute video of him during the announcement of the starting lineup. It's safe to say that Durant wasn't happy. The video, and Durant's reaction, were captured by New York Daily News lead Nets writer C.J. Holmes.

Clearly, the Nets found themselves in a precarious situation. The fans, and even Durant himself, didn't believe that his stint with the team was warranted due to what some would deem a lack of accomplishments. But, Durant did lead the Nets back to prominence. Again, the team was minutes away from their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 18 years with Durant at the helm of a depleted Nets roster in 2021. Shouldn't that count for something?

In business and leadership, encountering tough decisions is inevitable. It requires believing in your heart that they are correct. The Nets appear to have made the right choice, even if Durant feels differently.