Nets owner Joe Tsai broke his public silence on Kevin Durant’s trade request on Monday. take on twitter to issue a firm defense of the franchise’s front office and coaching staff.
“Our front office and coaching staff have my support,” Tsai wrote. “We will make decisions in the best interests of the Brooklyn Nets.”
Tsai’s brief statement follows a face-to-face meeting with Durant over the weekend in London to discuss the star striker’s pending trade request. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, at the meeting, Durant reiterated his desire to be moved away from Brooklyn.
The 12-time All-Star reportedly informed Tsai that he had no confidence in the team’s direction and gave the Nets owner an ultimatum, saying Tsai must choose between Durant or general manager Sean Marks and coach Steve Nash decide.
Marks has been Brooklyn’s general manager since February 2016 and oversaw contract signings of Durant and Kyrie Irving ahead of the 2019–20 campaign. Nash was hired as the team’s coach in September 2020.
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Despite the superstar duo of Durant and Irving, the Nets have failed to live up to lofty expectations of bringing a championship to Brooklyn. The Nets have posted an overall record of 92-62 over the past two seasons, but they haven’t progressed past the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Last season, they were eliminated by the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.
The Celtics, Raptors and Heat are still considered the “best candidates” to take over Durant, according to Charania, but neither team has been able to convince the Nets with an acceptable offer.
If Durant is traded, the Nets’ front office has said privately that the team plans to take “every last asset” from a team trading for Durant, according to Charania.
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