However...
Even though the Knicks officially found an injury excuse for James to withdraw from the Finals in a respectable manner.
This still cannot change the fact that, in the eyes of the outside world, James was actively given up by the Knicks.
After all, after the first game of the Finals, as Durant brought his conflict with James from behind the scenes to the front stage...
No matter how respectable being DNP is, it is still being DNP.
"The collapsing little emperor has already finished all his games in his Knicks career in the first game of this year's Finals." ——ESPN headline news
Interestingly, on the same day the Knicks DNP-ed James, Nike also officially decided to offer Durant an astronomical renewal contract with a total duration of five years and a total value of 120 million US dollars.
What does this renewal contract, which far exceeds James' current contract, mean?
It means Nike chose the younger Durant to be their new crown prince in their future empire.
