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New York Knicks: Why Kevin Durant signing is more than just a pipe dream

By Daniel Lubofsky

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 26: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors high fives fans prior to the game against the New York Knicks on February 26, 2018 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 26: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors high fives fans prior to the game against the New York Knicks on February 26, 2018 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The New York Knicks shouldn’t be dismissed when it comes time for Kevin Durant to pick a home next summer.

Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes shed some light on the impending free agency of one Kevin Durant on Wednesday morning, appearing on FS1’s Undisputed and pointing out that the New York Knicks of all teams have a “very good shot” to land the two-time champion in the summer of 2019.

This came as a bit of a surprise for a couple of reasons. The Knicks have chased after a number of big free agents over the last decade or so, and the only fish they’ve been able to reel in was Amar’e Stoudemire back in 2010.

The second is that in the summer of 2016, Durant wouldn’t even sit down with New York’s brass, instead signing with the Golden State Warriors.

Given the dynasty Golden State is currently in the midst of, with star teammates who love to share the ball and business opportunities everywhere he looks, it’d be silly to think Durant would give that up to go play for an organization with as bad a reputation as the Knicks have created since this century began.

Except, when we delve into the psyche of someone as complex as the four-time scoring champion, such a move begins to make more and more sense.

Since that fateful July 4th back in 2016 when he changed the landscape of the NBA, Durant has faced a tsunami of criticism for joining a 73-win team just minutes away from winning their second straight NBA title only a month prior.

As we’ve come to find out, Durant doesn’t just dust off the criticism, he claps back, quite a bit actually for someone of his stature. Even after back-to-back Finals MVP’s, one can still find him going back and forth on Twitter with anyone who pops up in his notifications.

He’ll tell you he doesn’t care, but these actions scream something else. As a free agent, he had the freedom to go wherever he wanted two summers ago, but all this arguing makes it seem like he knows what he did was quote-unquote wrong.

He knows how people view him, and it clearly bothers him whether he says so or not. So what’s the best way to rewrite one’s legacy and image after having suffered through so much negativity? How about ending a 45-year title drought in a basketball-crazy city that also happens to be the media capital of the world?

For Kevin Durant to bring an NBA title back to New York would set off something indescribably amazing. Some would still resent him over his time in the Bay, but so many would also come to respect him even just a little bit for winning that kind of championship, similar to how people felt when LeBron James brought a title back to Cleveland.

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As currently constructed with Durant in the fold, there wouldn’t be any guarantee of championship banners hanging in Madison Square Garden, but that’s part of what makes it a great move.

Unlike Golden State, who had three stars all in their primes, the Knicks aren’t a finished product. Sure, Porzingis is already an All-Star while others on the roster have immense potential, but by and large, bringing a title to NYC would take a lot of work, far more than with the Warriors, which would make the ultimate taste of victory that much sweeter.

Even if the team were to somehow also bring in a Kyrie Irving or a Jimmy Butler, there’s something about building something special rather than hopping on the bandwagon that would validate Durant’s greatness to the NBA world as the leader of a now revitalized and title-winning organization.

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Durant will likely have a bevy of suitors once July 1 rolls around, and as someone who just turned 30, what he wants could be different than what the Knicks can give him. But if he wants to alter his perception around the league and get the respect he feels he’s earned, there really isn’t a better option than the Big Apple.

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