Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have apparently debated which player will sign with the New York Knicks first, according to a report.
Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant have long been speculated to join the New York Knicks this summer. Both can become free agents and sign maximum contracts with the team that opened significant cap space via the Kristaps Porzingis trade in January.
Well, now it’s not a matter of if but when.
According to The Athletic’s Frank Isola (subscription required but recommended), one agent said Durant and Irving are debating who will sign with the Knicks first. Isola explained the importance of this:
"The player that is signed second is viewed as the follower, not the leader. It’s all rather silly and Knick fans shouldn’t care if Durant and Irving synchronize their signings down to the exact second. But these are the things NBA players think about it."
Durant and Irving play different positions, but the difference in on-court ability seems obvious. So it seems easy to assume which player will sign first.
However, frankly, it does not sound like it matters in the grand scheme of things, but there is the public perception, as Isola noted.
Durant already played the “follower” role, when he joined the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 offseason. Two championships later, his decision to align with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green has delivered success, even with the poor public persona.
Irving tried to play leader when he joined the Boston Celtics via trade in 2017. That was supposed to be the move to give him his own team, instead of working next to LeBron James in Cleveland. A year of playing below expectations in Boston, though, apparently diminished his chances of returning, despite those very public words in the preseason
Now it turns to who’s the leader and who’s the follower. Durant and Irving could undergo a role reversal in perception, which might benefit both of them. One can account for the move to join a superpower and the other realizes he does not need the alpha role once desired.
Then, there is Isola’s other tidbit: how the belief is Durant will only sign with the Knicks if a big name follows. If no one agrees to tag along, is the former NBA Finals MVP not willing to become the “leader” and stick to the “follower” role he was labeled upon joining Golden State?
The time is approaching for these players to make their decisions. First, they have a playoff saga to endure, with a potential title awaiting Durant and Irving. That stands ahead of the offseason drama and what could become a game-changing summer for the New York Knicks.