Miller: New York would test Durant
TNT analyst tells Warriors star to think twice about Knicks
With speculation that Kevin Durant will join New York Knicks this summer heating up ahead of the All-Star break, former Pacers great Reggie Miller says to pump the breaks on Durant leaving the Warriors for the Big Apple.
“Personally, I can’t see him going to New York,” Miller said in a Turner Sports conference call along with former Warriors and Kings star Chris Webber.
Last week, Durant, who is expected to opt out of his two-year, $61.5 million deal this summer, was surly with the media in response to recent speculation that he would join the Knicks in the upcoming offseason.
The talk ramped up after the Knicks traded Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee to the Mavericks on Feb. 1.
The move cleared more than $70 million in cap space, enough to sign Durant and another max free agent in July. Recently, the Knicks fueled speculation of Durant’s summer arrival, including him in their ad for season tickets for the 2019-20 season.
Following the trade, Durant did not speak with the media for eight consecutive days, prompting The Athletic’s Ethan Strauss to write a column about what Durant’s silence implied about his upcoming free agency, causing the Warriors’ forward to single out Strauss following last week’s win over the Spurs. On Monday, Miller said that if Durant were to sign with the Knicks, the media microscope would be more intense.
“If he’s a little surly and upset about what The Athletic wrote
about him, if he gets a couple of bad games in New York, under that microscope, he’s really going to be upset,” Miller said. “So you got to factor everything when you’re joining the New York Knicks — the number one media market in the world and in our game.
“You can’t be upset with the media when you’re back-to-back NBA champion and back-to-back Finals MVPs.”
As for the Knicks organization, both Webber and Miller credited coach David Fizdale and general manager Scott Perry for changing the perception of the Knicks organization for potential free agents.
“Since [New York GM] Scott Perry has come in and things have quieted down from the drama side, it has allowed some free agents to consider New York [as a destination market],” Webber said. “It seems that [the Knicks are] on the path to consistency, that there is positive talk in the locker room, and they have cleared cap space so that they can go after some pretty big free agents. I would not be surprised if New York lands a big free agent this summer.”
“I think the hiring of Coach Fizdale has helped tremendously because I think that will be a big part on whoever they go after this summer,” Miller added. “Will they get the ones they’re projecting this summer — Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant? That remains to be seen but for them to be able to clear this salary cap and show the Knicks faithful and their fanbase that they are at least trying is a step in the right direction.”
The Knicks have been in the free agency sweepstakes before. Most notably, in 2010, when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire were on the market. That season, the Knicks signed Stoudemire but missed out on James, their prized free agent target. Nearly a decade later, Miller says the Knicks should be focused on getting the right superstar.
“The key is going to be — when they have this money — is to get the right players because there’s a couple of free agents out there
[that] if you give them the max deal, I’m not quite sure it solves your problems,” Miller said. “In a perfect world, if it’s [Boston Celtics guard] Kyrie [Irving], if it’s KD, personally, I don’t see that happening, but I could be absolutely wrong ... but it’s key that they get the right players because it can hamstring this team going further if the wrong players get this contract.”
• Center DeMarcus Cousins won’t play Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers as the team will give him the day off on the second night of a back-toback, coach Steve Kerr said.
Shaun Livingston (rest) also will miss Wednesday’s game.
• In only three days, Stephen Curry will return to the place that shaped his childhood and his basketball journey.
The NBA will host AllStar weekend in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Curry may as well be the league’s unofficial host along with the Hornets franchise. Curry will make his sixth appearance in the NBA 3-point contest on Saturday and his sixth All-Star appearance on Sunday. On Saturday, Curry will also compete against his brother, Seth, in the 3-point contest. Before Sunday’s AllStar game, the NBA will honor Curry’s father, Dell, who played for the Charlotte Hornets (1988-1998) and currently serves as the team’s broadcaster.
“It’s going to be fun,” Curry said after Tuesday morning’s shootaround. “I haven’t gotten my mind there yet besides my pop calling me about ticket lists. That’s getting overwhelming.”
That’s because Curry has received ticket requests that he said has already reached the triple digits.
No wonder Curry admittedly has had trouble focusing with the Warriors entered a back-to-back on Tuesday against the Utah Jazz and then tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers.
“We can lock in on a back-to-back before everybody goes their separate ways,” Curry said. “It’s tough to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we have to stay locked in.”