Kevin Durant strongly considered the New York Knicks, according to sources closes to the situation. Durant, however, never pushed the Knicks the way Kyrie Irving pushed the Brooklyn Nets.

Irving sold the Nets as a destination due to their front office and the chance to make history with a franchise on the rise.

"The Knicks players, they're good, young players, but they still need more experience to match where I was in my career," Durant told former teammate Serge Ibaka in October. "It was nothing major against the Knicks. I just think Brooklyn is further along in the process of being a contender."

While Scott Perry and Steve Mills advocated for Durant, James Dolan was leery of signing a player rehabilitating an Achilles injury due to his past experiences with players with injury histories. 

Rich Kleiman informed Dolan of Durant's plans directly right as free agency opened.