The New York Knicks could be slated to grab several top players this offseason. Rumors have swirled about Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant joining the Knicks when they are free agents this summer. Meanwhile, there’s also been some talk about Anthony Davis being traded to Manhattan.
Although this is just chatter at this moment, Durant and Irving were seen talking together earlier this year and it seems like some sort of odd inevitability that both players will want to leave their respective teams in the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors. But maybe I’m reading too much into their body language?
Or their quotes?
Or their general demeanor?
Or the myriad rumors from well-sourced journalists?
Hard to say.
In any case, people are starting to weigh in on a potential super team forming in New York. Veteran NBA takester Charles Barkley decided to give his take on the subject this week, and it wasn’t a positive one.
Via Twitter:
More Barkley: " I dont think Durant or Kyrie are tough enough to play in NY. Kyrie's a very good player. Kevin's a great, great player. But Im not sure they have the mental make up to play in NY. Those guys are complaining about the media asking questions. Maybe NY isnt for them.
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) March 12, 2019
Barkley could be right here. Both Irving and Durant seem to be pretty moody guys in excellent situations. Neither have made the best of their respective locations.
Irving has been pithy and short with the media all season, even going so far as to talk about how he didn’t ever want to be famous. It was an odd look for a guy who made a feature-length Pepsi commercial just last year.
Durant of course plays with the best team in the NBA, and in the best basketball situation for him that any of us can see. How he isn’t happy, and why he wants to move is sort of a head-scratcher.
For the amount of players who think they deserve their own team, Durant is at least one of those guys. But he hasn’t wanted to be the lead dog thus far, and Golden State has suited him well. Perhaps that’s changed.
Either way, the Knicks are under constant scrutiny. The team is a mess, and the owner is a disaster. It’s sort of difficult to understand how New York would challenge for an Eastern Conference title even with Irving and Durant. Other teams in the conference are better run and have deeper rosters.
If things were to get rough in New York — and it seems like it would early on — could Irving and Durant stand up to the pressure? If anything it would give us great content to talk about here on PBT.