The split between Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry is even more interesting now

He traded Stephen Curry for Kyrie Irving two years ago. That’s a swap others might’ve hesitated to do even before Irving took a controversial vaccine stand that effectively forced him to take a seat.

Kevin Durant, without a doubt, charts his own course, abides by his own principles, and dances to his own rhythm – luxuries afforded to him as one of the top two or three NBA players in the world. Durant secured this privilege a long time ago by proving his ability to empower himself and any team fortunate enough to have him. In such a scenario, you exercise your freedom for your own gratification and no one else’s.

Your choice, however, does come with consequences — same as everyone else’s. And right now, examining the current state of his previous and current teams, and weighing the worth of Curry and Irving, it’s fair to wonder: Did Durant choose wisely when he bailed on the Warriors in 2019?

The Nets find themselves in a muddle as they navigate the early stages of a new season. Their situation is one of championship-or-nothing, leaving no room for mistakes. This intense focus is the result of their decision to have three future Hall of Famers, all in their prime, on their team for this very purpose.

But the early returns of a long season are complicated for Durant and the Nets. They’re searching for that championship traction. James Harden is off to a mild start and the former Kia MVP is possibly bedeviled by new rule changes that no longer honor his ability to draw fouls. The supporting cast is fine, but again, they’re for support only.

Anyway, it’s all about the proverbial elephant in the room, whom the Nets instructed to leave the room and remain at home.

Irving is busy sitting, while Curry is busy cooking. Nobody knows how long either will trend in those directions, but the safe money is on Curry for obvious reasons. He’s coming off an MVP-finalist year and is closing in on the NBA’s all-time lead in 3-pointers made. He recently dropped 50 points and 10 assists in a game and still remains the best teammate Durant ever had.

Durant and Curry are the two leading scorers in the league right now, respectively, while also holding down the top two spots in Michael C. Wright’s latest Kia MVP Ladder. Both are also the reigning NBA Players of the Week.

Irving remains steadfast in his unwillingness to get vaccinated. It’s surprising that the same man who broke the Warriors dynasty in 2016 with a remarkable jumper is now refusing not just one, but two shots.

In a curious coincidence, that Game 7 pull-up 3-pointer by Irving was launched over Curry’s outstretched fingertips. It was a cold-blooded Finals moment frozen in time and gave Irving and his talents the ultimate stamp of approval.

Durant, in a surprising move a few years later, left Curry and the Warriors as a free agent after three successful seasons. Instead, he chose to align his future with Irving, marking a second approval.

As Durant prepares to meet his former co-star and team Tuesday when the league-leading Warriors play in Brooklyn (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT), the Nets are leaning heavier on Durant than they originally thought, or wanted to, at this point. Crazy thing is, Durant is more than capable of carrying the freight. He has scored 20 or more in all 14 games to start the season, one shy of Karl Malone’s record.

Kevin Durant is delivering an impressive performance, averaging 29.6 points per game with a remarkable shooting percentage of 58.6%. He’s also securing 8.4 rebounds per game and proving to be a challenge for the opposition, which is typical for him. And as Durant once famously stated, “you know who I am.” Indeed.

Remember, this elite team was built for superstars, not just one, but multiple. The formidable trio of Harden, Irving, and Durant are set to overshadow the Knicks in the hearts of New Yorkers, secure championships, and provide a response to the renowned query echoed throughout the largest borough: Where’s Brooklyn?

This could potentially occur if Irving’s moods and the moons are in alignment.

Durant publicly maintains his confidence in the Nets. He stated in early October, “of course we have enough” to achieve victory without Irving, a claim that isn’t particularly daring during the regular season.

He added: “While we are playing in a game, I am not going to sit there and say … when we get down or it is a tight game, like ‘Damn, we don’t have enough.’ We definitely want Kyrie Irving out here on the floor. And he is a huge part of what we do. But it is not happening right now. So we got to figure it out … no one is going to lose confidence and hope Kyrie comes to save us. We got to play. Everybody here has confidence in what they do.”

But at present, Durant and the Nets are facing the possibility of Harden being affected by rule changes and potentially by advancing age. There’s also the risk of Irving being stubborn and possibly not returning for the rest of the season.

The local government’s vaccine mandate means Irving will not play any home games at Barclays Center, and the Nets, weary of the drama, didn’t want a part-time player in the lineup so they told Irving to skip the road games, too. The franchise could stick to its guns and hope Irving’s love of basketball eventually overwhelms his distaste for the vaccine, but who knows who’ll blink first?

Meanwhile, there are no such worries with the 11-2 Warriors. Curry is following up an epic season with the makings of another. His jumper remains pure (and could get even better) and his determination to lift the Warriors back among the contenders remains firm. An argument can be made that Curry is still the most difficult assignment in the league, putting him in very small company — one that includes Durant.

There was a time when they were a formidable pair, alternately wielding their prowess and striking fear into the hearts of any team that dared to face them. Except for injuries – Durant’s Achilles tear in 2019 that cost them a third championship with Curry – nothing could halt their domination unless Curry or Durant decided to leave town.

Curry, the local and adored star, did not entertain such a thought. He committed to a four-year extension with Golden State during the offseason. However, Durant yearned for something different, something that recommitting to the Warriors couldn’t provide. Hence, he left—once again, it was within his rights—and teamed up with Irving. When Harden made his exit from Houston, the Nets formed a three-man core that, in theory, appeared as robust as the Curry-Durant-Klay Thompson trio.

Speaking of Klay: He’s on the mend from a pair of major injuries and anxious to prove that he belonged on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. That fuel should only help the Warriors elevate themselves among the best in the West … but how much better off would they — and Durant — be if they’d remained intact together?

Playing that game in the rearview mirror no longer makes sense. Durant appears content with his current position — he even signed a contract extension this summer — and remains committed to winning, regardless of circumstances, as always.

Concurrently, Curry was unable to propel the Warriors into the playoffs last season – largely due to Golden State’s numerous injuries – yet the task of restoring the Warriors to their former glory has evidently ignited a spark within him.

At the core of this issue lies the fact that Durant’s challenge in Brooklyn is significantly more difficult than the luxuries he enjoyed at Golden State. As such, he deserves commendation for choosing a path laden with greater risks.

We will revisit this issue next spring and summer to update the scorecard. In the meantime, Durant’s current choice is crystal clear.

Irving is occupied with sketching DNPs, whereas Curry is engrossed in eliciting applause.

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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.

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