Kevin Durant Free Agency: Knicks Get Jaw Dropping Critique from Analyst

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after making a basket over Courtney Lee.

Kevin Durant is the New York Knicks’ primary target in free agency.

His business partner, Rich Kleiman, is a huge Knicks fan and based in New York.

Kleiman is also the co-founder and partner in Durant’s The Durant Company and Thirty Five Media.

With the Durant Company, Kleiman oversees Durant’s investment portfolio, including Postmates, Acorns, The Players’ Tribune, JetSmarter.

Worth noting: Kleiman has also gotten Durant into the intellectual property space, as well. His Boardroom show, which I shared would be rolled out soon, has been a hit via ESPN+

There are more Knicks ties. Like Alonzo Triier.

Triier has been mentored by Kevin Durant throughout his high school and college career. Triier is from Seattle, where Durant was drafted, and the two have a close relationship.

KD is also tied to DeAndre Jordan. They won Olympic gold medals together.

“I hate Kevin Durant,” Jordan jokingly told the New York Post.

“I just don’t like him. Terrible guy.’’

Remember this name: Royal Ivey.

A Knicks assistant coach under head coach, David Fizdale, Ivey, a Harlem native is quite close to Durant. The two were Texas Longhorns teammates and teammates with the Oklahoma City Thunder for three years.

KD is the godfather of Ivey’s daughter, Lyric Ella.

Ivey has spent the past two seasons working as an assistant for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He had received interest from other teams as well, including the Philadelphia 76ers.

But he chose the New York Knicks. That could mean nothing or it could just be an advantage that the Knicks do have.

What a good advantage to have, too!

Million Dollar Question: Will KD come to NYC???

“Well the Knicks aren’t going to get what they hope for,” NBA writer, Steve Kyler tells me on the Scoop B Radio Podcast.

“The reality is if you didn’t give up the cookie jar to go get Anthony Davis which that ship has now sailed, you’re talking about a team being built around a Dennis Smith Jr., Kevin Knox, Allozo Trier. There’s a lot there to like. Just having him would make him a great mentor for the year.”

For those keeping score at home: Durant tore his Achilles and will likely be out all of next season.

“The problem is if you want to give max money to a player coming off of a calf and Achilles,” said Kyler.

Sounds like most of the league will give their going for the big name, knowing that he won’t play for a year. I talked to some people who were like: ‘Nope.’

“Getting Kevin Durant, maybe not being incredibly good for another year, one more swing at a lottery pick next year, now you’re talking about young guys get better around Kevin. Kevin comes back, maybe there’s not as much pressure. A narrative exists, but that’s probably an interesting idea for the New York Knicks and if they’re willing to give Kevin the security of the max.”