I want to thank Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets.
The months between the end of the NBA Finals and the start of NFL preseason are truly the dog days of summer if you’re in the business of producing or discussing sports content.
This isn’t a knock against baseball, but even commissioner Rob Manfred will tell you that anything that happens before the all-star break is basically a tree falling in a forest- it’s only making a sound if you’re around to hear it.
And even the MLB All-Star game, the most watched of any sports league’s All-Star game, is less relevant than it’s ever been, with ratings down 71% over the last 30 years.
And that’s the reason that I want to thank the Brooklyn Nets, because when my options on my podcast on iHeart, or my radio shows on SiriusXM and Fox Sports were nothing but baseball, Kevin Durant was there to save the day by demanding a trade with three years and $150 million left on his contract.
When the only topic of the day was what amount of money it would take for a professional golfer to ignore the fact that if Saudi Arabia doesn’t like an American citizen, they can just break out the bone saw, Ben Simmons was there to leave the group chat when people ask him to show up for work.
When the only thing there was to talk about on a random Tuesday in June is Serena Williams struggling at Wimbledon, Kyrie Irving stokes rumors that he’s interested in playing right here in Los Angeles, and refuses to sign an extension that just asks that he show up for work sometimes.
Uneventful Monday in early August? KEVIN DURANT WANTS THE ENTIRE FRONT OFFICE THAT HE HAND PICKED, OF THE TEAM HE DOESN’T EVEN WANT TO PLAY FOR, FIRED!
It’s hard not to be grateful for this Brooklyn Nets team. They might not be making news for what they’re doing on the court in late spring, but they’re out here dominating the headlines all summer long, whether it’s Kyrie Irving questioning the entire idea of property ownership right before buying a home in LA, or arguing with anyone from Stephen A. Smith to the Barstool sports account, to Kevin Durant picking fights with construction workers and schoolteachers at all hours of the day, and feeding backdoor demands to Shams Charania.
All to accomplish absolutely nothing, and be forced to suit up together again in 2023.
All for the benefit of people like me?
There’s a Douglas Wood quote that says “The heart that gives thanks is a happy one, for we cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time.“
But as a content creator, I can definitely feel thankful while the Brooklyn Nets are unhappy. And with today’s announcement that the Nets are running it back next year, I have a feeling I’m going to spend next summer thankful as well.
Let that sink in.
