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Chapter 934 934 559 The End of an Era
Chapter 934 934 559 The End of an Era
?Chapter 934: Chapter 559: The End of an Era Chapter 934: Chapter 559: The End of an Era This year, the teams with lottery picks are the Cavaliers, Wizards, 76ers, Bucks, Bobcats, Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Detroit Pistons, Kings, Golden State Warriors, Clippers, and the Trail Blazers.
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2024/8/4 17:24:50
The news of Kevin Durant’s trade request spread like a super virus.
The world couldn’t stay calm.
This would be a heartbreaking moment for SuperSonics fans.
They had just won four consecutive championships and were looking forward to a fifth, but if Durant requested a trade, it would be nearly impossible to get equal value in return.
Because it raised another question, how much is Durant worth?
It’s like hypothetically trading Yu Fei, how many teams could put together the pieces.
Even if such pieces existed, the teams that could offer them would most likely choose not to.
Although Durant didn’t reach the level of Yu Fei, having been tested in this year’s playoffs, he was already recognized as one of the top five in the league.
Some even believed he was in the top three, just behind Yu Fei and James.
Moreover, he was not even 24 years old yet, still with ample room to rise, making him a nightmare for the entire league to keep by the side of Yu Fei.
So when the “burner account incident” happened, everyone who resented the SuperSonics cheered: Brutus had finally betrayed Caesar!
The once undefeated empire would crumble, and the GOAT’s legendary chapter would face a stain, betrayed by his greatest ally.
And then… there was no after.
Yu Fei’s comeback halted the SuperSonics’ slump, climbing steadily in the playoffs and sweeping through the competition to complete the four-peat.
Durant’s “burner account incident” was silently forgotten.
Until now, when Durant had requested a trade, the topic was resurfaced, and experts believed it was an echo of the “burner account incident.”
Durant wasn’t forgiven, he just reached an understanding with the GOAT.
So as soon as the season ended, even before the championship celebration could start, this darling of the Seattleites, in whom they had placed their future hopes, couldn’t wait to shatter all the beautiful illusions and bring everyone back to reality.
Media with different positions would have different attitudes towards this matter.
The media in the Seattle area naturally tried to speak well of it.
The Seattle Times believed that Durant’s strong desire to win during the playoffs indicated he did not want to leave, and that both parties could still have a good talk.
However, media outside of Seattle had already started analyzing which teams might acquire Durant.
Nike could be the biggest beneficiary of this commotion.
Their best young player, also the most outstanding new star in the NBA after James, was finally about to leave Seattle and break out on his own.
Over the past five years, Reebok’s achievements have been a source of grinding teeth for Nike.
They firmly believed that without Durant’s help, Yu Fei would not have achieved four consecutive championships.
Putting the lockout aside, Yu Fei had accomplished what was essentially a six-peat.
If we go back even further, it’s an eight-championship dynasty in nine years, comparable to Bill Russell’s Celtics.
However, with such great achievements, how much glory and fame did Durant reap?
The answer is very little.
Not only did Nike’s core market not expand, but they also lost a lot to Reebok, with Durant’s influence seeing little growth.
Reebok’s concept of the “sole empire” successfully focused the halo solely on Yu Fei.
This was something Nike could no longer tolerate, and now they had succeeded.
Durant firmly requested a trade with no room for negotiation.
The SuperSonics’ general manager Sam Presti tried multiple times to talk with Durant, but was rejected. Durant had cut off contact with the team’s management.
Durant’s agent, Rich Kleiman, was clear: “Move forward with the trade as soon as possible.”
With things having reached this point, Presti had no choice but to delegate the task of contacting Durant to those players who were still in touch with him and then proceed seriously with the trade.
Durant’s good friend DeAndre Jordan said, “There might be only one person who could change KD’s mind.” Although he didn’t explicitly say the sacred name, those with insight could guess.
Bill Simmons, a notable media person of ESPN, bluntly pointed to the heart of the matter: “No matter the mistakes KD has made, his playoff performance can make up for them. That’s why I disagree with this trade. Because this is the greatest team our generation will see. Frye, KD, Brandon Roy, Chris Bosh—will we see a team like this in the next hundred years? They easily completed a four-peat, and if they keep this lineup, they can easily achieve a five-peat, and we will witness the greatest team in sports! But in the end, to reverse this trade, we need the attitude of one man. Frye, don’t follow Michael Jordan’s path, today’s KD is like you in 2002.”
Simmons sharply linked Durant’s trade request to Yu Fei. He believed it was Yu Fei’s doing.
Helping to win four in a row wasn’t enough for Durant to atone; Durant’s competitiveness in the playoffs was beginning to catch up with the GOAT. For the GOAT, stabilizing his own status meant everything, and therefore, Durant must leave.
Simmons pointed the finger at Yu Fei, which brought the ire of the most confrontational fan community on the internet. Tens of thousands of Yu Fei fans flocked to this tweet.
Yu Fei was on vacation in Los Angeles when he received the news of Durant’s trade request. If Durant had not requested a trade, he had planned to spend a month like this, then start getting back to some activities. However, this summer’s most important event was the imminent due date for his child with Elizabeth Olsen. His main focus was there.