Kevin Durant Questions NBA Twitter on Their Sincerity in Latest Interactions

Suns superstar Kevin Durant seems to have more time than usual at this time of the NBA playoff season.

Kevin Durant Questions NBA Twitter on Their Sincerity in Latest Interactions

Kevin Durant (Image via Firstsportz)

Kevin Durant undoubtedly checks all the boxes that one might have for the label ‘a man of the people’. This is one of the sporting superstars who pops up for discussion with regular basketball fans. Even though he doesn’t always see eye to eye with them, the possibility of a discussion itself is a great thing to have. The four-time NBA scoring champion is always ready to speak his mind on aspects of fandom.

Kevin Durant is used to also being viewed as the villain by the general basketball public. His decision to sign with the Golden State Warriors in 2016 has subjected him to slander and hate seen by few others. He was held responsible for foiling the parity in the league and labeled as a coward by talking heads. This plays a big role in how fans view him even today, six seasons since he left the superteam in the Bay Area.

The vitriol that Durant has endured in this time has also shaped the way he interacts with fans. The Slim Reaper took it upon himself to call out a fan, saying

Basement General Managers and the dark web commissioners have ruined basketball discourse. They think they know it all and hate on the product. They Stan execs and owners. Guys like u Tony

Durant later replied to this thread, pointing out how he has to bear the standard of being ‘above it all’ while also having to show that he cares about fans’ feelings.

A fan attempted to steer the basketball towards the definition of passive fans and related subjects. But Durant stood up for those ‘passive’ and ‘casual’ fans too, asking what is necessarily wrong with being one.

He then pointed out how he views the discussion of the game has changed over the course of his NBA career. According to him, fans acting like Monday Morning Quarterbacks was not the norm during his childhood.

Durant’s overarching point seems to be valid: there are too many player stans dictating and ruining basketball discourse. NBA Twitter, NBA Reddit and other such communities are dominated by this kind of fans, which usually paints basketball players in a thankless light.

Kevin Durant could be on a new NBA team

Many thought that Durant would write the final chapters of his basketball journey in Brooklyn after signing there in 2019. Unfortunately, a set of the most unfortunate circumstances and ego clashes reduced the project to ashes. By the time he left in 2023, there was no clear path to championship contention for the Nets in the long term, despite the team’s investments towards it in recent years.

Durant expected to be able to view better basketball days when he got traded to the Phoenix Suns. However, he was unable to win a playoff game after his first season in Arizona, and is now primed for another exit. The team is unable to build any supporting cast worthy of contention for Devin Booker and Durant. With Bradley Beal’s no-trade clause, the Suns have no paths to trading pieces to acquire help.

It is unclear right now where Durant could land. The top contenders for his services seem to be the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs. The OKC Thunder could also throw their hat into the ring if they fail to seal an NBA championship this year. Durant would be uniquely positioned to lead all three teams into contention if a trade were to materialize for him.

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