Kevin Durant’s Latest Return Subtly Reminds the Nets of What Could Have Been

It has been nearly three years since the Brooklyn Nets traded Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns, a franchise-altering move that helped kick-start a long-term rebuild after the team failed to capitalize on its championship dreams with Kyrie Irving and James Harden also in the mix.

Durant’s first return to Barclays Center, roughly a year later, was met with massive fanfare. The nationally televised ESPN game drew major media attention as outlets documented reactions from fans, Durant, and both teams, all trying to make sense of how what was supposed to be a golden era of Nets basketball fell short of expectations.

The Nets welcomed Durant back with a tribute video, but many fans were less forgiving, booing him each time he touched the ball. While some were understandably disappointed with how Durant’s time in Brooklyn ended, others reflected more positively on his tenure, recognizing that he helped bring the Nets back into title contention with a level of shotmaking few players could match.

Fast forward two years. On New Year's Day, Durant was now donning a Houston Rockets uniform and making his third return to the 'Clays. The vibe in the building was largely business as usual. The game wasn't nationally televised, nor was there an overwhelming media presence as there had been two years earlier.

Durant was seen on the court getting his warmup shots in roughly two hours before tipoff, with most fans yet to arrive.

In most cases, a KD stepback jumper is just a KD stepback jumper, but considering how close to the line his toe was on some of his warm-up shots and the court he was standing on, it was hard not to think back to his game-tying shot in Game 7 of the Nets' 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Milwaukee Bucks to force overtime. Had his shoe size been just a bit smaller, the Nets might have escaped to the next round, but it wasn't meant to be.

In player pregame introductions, Durant was met with mostly cheers, but you could also hear a few boos sneak in.

Once the game got underway, the Nets' defense was intent on keeping the ball out of Durant's hands, and Durant was focused on beating the double teams that were thrown his way. But make no mistake, Durant's presence around the building has not been forgotten, even if the energy surrounding him was more subtle this time.

Durant has largely spoken positively about the Nets since his departure, but his tenure in Brooklyn will always be one of the biggest ‘what could have been’ stories.