After reaffirming his desire to be treated away from him nets at a meeting with the main owner Joe Tsai All-Star Forward last weekend Kevin Durant would consider suspending Brooklyn’s training camp in September if he’s still on the list, a source told the New York Daily News’ Kristian Winfield.
Winfield reports that among the networks’ potential trading partners, the pelicans remain interested in Durant. Winfield suggests New Orleans could put together a “convincing” package that includes the 2020 All-Star forward Brandon Ingramstill only 24, along with fascinating young role players like Herbert Jones and Jose Alvaradoplus significant design capital.
Here’s the latest Durant babble:
- After they looked like surefire title contenders thanks to their core from Durant’s 2021 era, All-Star Guard James Hardenand Kyrie Irving, the nets have fallen back to earth. Ian O’Connor of the New York Post writes that the franchise has morphed back into the kind of laugh it often was when it was still based in New Jersey. The team appears to be in complete disarray after Durant’s repeated trade request.
- The Athletic’s John Hollinger says the Nets still have a bargaining chip over Durant. Hollinger attributes this to the fact that the 33-year-old’s four-year salary cap extension is just beginning and his advanced NBA age somewhat diminishes his commercial value. Hollinger writes that if Durant decides not to play early in the season, the Nets could look to miss the playoffs. The team owes the Rockets a pick swap in 2023, but the Rockets still plan to miss the postseason itself, meaning Brooklyn could still get a quality pick.
- League executives and coaches are outraged by Durant’s request that Tsai either trade him or fire the team president Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash, according to Heavy.com’s Steve Bulpet. “Angry,” a team president told Bulpett as he described her emotional reaction to the news. “He and Kyrie basically told Sean they were coming [in 2019 free agency], and Sean did pretty much whatever they wanted after that. signing DeAndre Jordan for four years? That’s what Kyrie and KD wanted. got James Harden? Then find a guy who should be a perfect match for her [Ben Simmons] when Harden wanted out? Sean did it all… And now KD doesn’t like how it all worked? There are probably a few other people he should talk to about it, maybe even a teammate.”