Much of the Boston Celtics offseason was spent navigating through the rumors linked to Brooklyn Nets star forward Kevin Durant, and according to one longtime Boston columnist, the Celtics are better off without the 12-time NBA All-Star.
Bob Ryan of The Boston Globe didn't resist when speaking on Tuesday's installment of CLNS Media's "Bob Ryan & Jeff Godman NBA Podcast." Ryan went as far as to drop a bold expletive when referring to Durant in his brief rant.
"I don't need him," Ryan said alongside Goodman and Gary Tanguay. "I'm happy. I don't want to win with him. I want to root for this group right here that we have seen assembled and grown. Now that we've added (Malcolm) Brogdon. ... I love this team. I don't want to win with that (expletive)-head, and I think he is one, frankly."
Ryan added: "I don't want to win with this guy. Screw him. No. ... Let's stick with the group we got. They're good enough to win in theory."
A controversial take, colorful language aside. Durant remains among the league's most dominant scoring threats, despite how much many may not like him. His rare combination of outside shooting with one-of-a-kind length and ball handling make Durant a rarity among his peers in the league. One can only imagine what the addition of a future Hall of Famer -- still relatively young -- could result in when mixed with a young on-the-rise Jayson Tatum in the Eastern Conference. Especially one that came two wins short of an NBA Finals title.
While Durant's in-house issues with the organization aren't to be neglected, they don't dismiss the established talent his reputation on the floor has made him out to be. Championships aren't built on the foundation of player likeness, but rather their unmatched contributions which deliver results.
Last season Durant averaged 29.9 points which ranked him fourth among scoring leaders in the NBA. His 10.5 field goals made per game finished second among players across the league.
On Aug. 23 Durant rescinded his trade request, officially ending all rumors and reports tying Brooklyn's franchise player to any other organization.
