It’s been over a month since brooklyn nets Super star Kevin Durant requested a trade just hours before free agency began, and there is no indication that a trade is imminent. In reality, there has been reported ‘pessimism’ around a deal for Durant is done in the near future. The Nets are having trouble finding other teams to help facilitate a trade, which isn’t entirely surprising given the high asking price for a player of Durant’s caliber.
As we get closer to the start of training camp, it’s still possible Durant could still be a member of the Nets at the start of the 2022-23 season. However, in a face-to-face meeting in London with team owner Joe Tsai over the weekend, the former league MVP reiterated his stance that he still wants to be traded, according to Shams Charania. Durant’s position hasn’t wavered at all throughout this process, but in a bit of new information, the two-time champion also told Tsai that the Nets had to choose between him and the head coach tandem. Steve Nash and General Manager Sean Marks, per Charania. Durant reportedly has no “faith” in the direction of the franchise, and with the ultimatum he’s now issued, it throws a new wrench in Brooklyn’s plans for the future.
Tsai answered monday evening tweeting, “Our front office and coaching staff have my support. We will make decisions in the best interest of the Brooklyn Nets.”
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While the Nets have fallen short of their championship aspirations in every season Durant has played for them, it’s surprising to hear that he’s essentially calling for Nash and Marks to be fired. Especially when it comes to Nash, who initially received Durant’s support in the hiring process due to the time the two spent together at Golden State. Nash went 92-62 in two seasons with the Nets, including playoff appearances both years. However, Nash’s tenure got off to a rocky start when Irving said on Durant’s podcast that he don’t really see the team having a head coach in terms of team leadership, shortly after Nash was hired. Durant agreed and said the workout could be a “collaborative effort” between Nash, Durant, Irving and even assistant coach Jacque Vaughn. While this could be interpreted as the two star players simply wanting to be vocal leaders for their team, it’s not exactly a ringing endorsement right after Nash was hired.
Although Nash has put together back-to-back winning seasons, his coaching hasn’t exactly been flawless. Brooklyn’s defense has come under heavy criticism over the past two seasons, and the isolation heavy offense they ran wasn’t the most successful game plan. There were also reports surfacing that Nash’s coaching style was part of the reason James Harden demanded a trade from the Nets. So while Durant initially supported Nash when he was hired, there are certainly reasons that support may have waned.
As for Marks, it’s hard to see exactly what issues Durant has with the Brooklyn general manager, who is a highly respected front-office executive in the league. This offseason alone, the Nets have taken steps that have improved their supporting cast around Durant and Irving — if the two stay in Brooklyn — by adding Royce O’Neale, TJ Warren and re-sign Patty Mills. The team will also benefit from perfect health Joe Harris and Ben Simmons to add even more talent around their two stars.
This new information about Durant would have forced Tsai to choose between him or Nash and Marks certainly makes this whole ordeal more complicated, and we’ll have to wait and see if any more spinoffs ensue.