Kyrie Irving says he, Kevin Durant want to end careers together: 'What better place to do it than Brooklyn?'

"We want to end our careers together," Irving said. "We want to do this as a team and what better place to do it than Brooklyn."

Published : Sep 28, 2019 09:31 IST

Nets-bound Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant
Nets-bound Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant
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Nets-bound Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant

The end isn't in sight for Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, but the newest Nets stars are looking forward to eventually ending their careers together.

Irving discussed the matter and everything from Durant's season-ending injury last year with the Warriors to what prompted him to choose the Brooklyn franchise on Friday.

In his first public appearance as a Net at the team's media day, Irving said Brooklyn was the ideal place for the two to build for the next handful of years.

"The morning of free agency, we still had no idea what we were doing," Irving told reporters. "We just want to care for one another in a way where we can build for the next four years and on. We want to end our careers together. We want to do this as a team and what better place to do it than Brooklyn with all these guys that had worked their tails off to be where they are now, to even be in a position here in Brooklyn.

Irving and Durant were the two big-time additions the Nets made during free agency.

Both had their sights set on the Nets, and Irving said at the beginning of free agency he "had some other pieces he wanted to bring" to Brooklyn.

Durant's decision was affected by landing in a bigger metropolitan area. 

When Durant spoke with media, he admitted at first he didn't know much about building his brand. But now, as he recovers from an Achilles injury he suffered in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, he said being in a big city can only help him.

“I just looked at how I came up in the league. I came up with a lot of expectations with having a good college career," Durant said. "I came in with some popularity, if you’d say. Market stuff really didn’t matter coming up or brand stuff. It was about how I played on the court. If I play well on the court, that stuff will follow. It wasn’t huge, but I also know who I am right now, and being in a big city like this can do nothing but help my situation. I looked at that, as well. I deserve to live in a good city. I’ve been in the league 12 years, and I get to make a decision like this. Of course, I only looked at cities like that.”

Despite Durant's injury, both he and Irving signed four-year deals with the Nets. 

Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks said recently Durant's rehab is going well but added the team is taking the long-term approach with its newly acquired superstar.

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