Kemba Walker says Kevin Durant was ‘pretty close’ to joining him on the Knicks
Four-time All-Star point guard Kemba Walker experienced the surreal moment last week of being introduced as a member of the New York Knicks.
It was a moment that Walker nearly experienced two offseasons ago during his first time in the free agency market. The star guard voiced in his press conference that he almost joined forces with Kevin Durant in New York in 2019, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post.
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“Pretty close.”
That’s how Kemba Walker termed it at last week’s introductory Garden press conference…
According to an NBA source, Walker wanted to team with Kevin Durant when the Knicks had cap space for two max players. The Walker-Durant Knicks pairing didn’t happen because KD ultimately decided to join Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn.
It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. According to reports, there had been some lingering chatter that Durant considered joining the Knicks. New York possessed the cap space two summers ago to pull off signing both All-Stars.
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Walker strongly desired to play alongside Durant, but that didn’t come to fruition as he chose to sign with the Nets to play with Kyrie Irving.
The two NBA Finals MVP threw dirt on that scenario last season as he voiced that New York bothered him all year. Nonetheless, it shows that Durant did at least consider playing for the Knicks.
Be it the fans or another reason; he chose against playing for New York to take his talents to play in Brooklyn. The Knicks will have to settle for getting one half of the duo.
