NY Knicks: Friendships matter in the modern NBA
Need more evidence that this is deeper than normal college teammates? Barrett and Zion have spoken publically about their friendship during their days in the ACC.
So why does this matter? And how does it affect the Knicks?
Look no further than the basketball club across town! The Brooklyn Nets have a superteam that is prime to bring an NBA Championship to NYC in the near future. But how did this squad come together?
Remember, the Knicks had dreams of forming a similar super team through the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving free agency period adjacent to the Duke trio’s draft. However, both superstars instead elected to team up with the Nets.
It did however seem likely that longtime friends Durant and Irving were destined to team up, regardless of which franchise it was with. Both were free agents. Both were prized possessions. Both had the pedigree to position themselves as they chose.
This is a common trend in the modern NBA. The Nets added to their roster with a blockbuster trade that brought former league MVP James Harden to Brooklyn. It is no coincidence that Durant and Harden spent several seasons together as teammates in their earlier years with the OKC Thunder.
Their prior relationship assuredly affected this outcome. Their previous stint together gave both confidence that the pair could coexist effectively. In fact, reports indicate that the two talked about the potential deal “months” before it was made.
This is far from an isolated case. For instance, superstar LeBron James formed his Miami Heat super team around longtime friend Dwayne Wade. The two would unite for a brief stint in Cleveland as well.
Make no mistake. Should Zion choose to target a reunion with his former Duke teammates, there is more than enough president to pull the trigger.