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It’s only been a month since news broke that Kevin Durant had requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. A few rumors have leaked about packages the Nets have asked from other teams, including a mock one from the Timberwolves and a counter to a trade proposal from the Celtics that reportedly included Jaylen Brown, but nothing seems close to happening.
So for now, Durant remains in Brooklyn, which has publicly stated its willingness to move Durant and Kyrie Irving in training camp and eventually the season if an offer doesn’t meet their extremely high demands. Durant anxious for a deal? While this lasts, and as the thrill of the Irving drama wears off, is he reconsidering his willingness to give the Nets another go?
Perhaps those talking points will come into focus when Durant meets with Nets owner Joe Tsai, which he is set to do this week, according to longtime NBA reporter Steve Bulpett.
“What I’m hearing is that KD is going to meet with the owner this week,” the source told Heavy Sports. “It will go directly to the owner, Joe Chai, sometime this week. We’ll see how that works out.”
Whether the purpose of the meeting is to smooth over a relationship that suffered at least a hairline fracture when Durant, with four years left on his contract, asked to be traded is uncertain.
“I don’t know,” the source said. “I have no idea what’s going to come out of that meeting. There are certain things that KD is unhappy about and I’m not sure any of that is being fixed here. But maybe it is.”
The Nets have some leverage here. Anytime a superstar asks for a trade, it’s sticky for the team, regardless of contract status, but the fact that Durant is entering the first year of a four-year deal means Brooklyn isn’t going to give him away for anything less than a monster. RETURN. There may not be a team out there that justifies paying such a price.
If the Nets want their best shot at a title, they will keep Durant, Irving and Ben Simmons. This is a trio that can compete for a championship if they collectively commit to the cause and stay healthy. On the other hand, when Durant is traded, the Nets become a much worse team.
The rub would be Durant refusing to play for the Nets, but it’s hard to imagine him doing that. Durant, who will be 34 when the season starts, is very good. If he comes down, he’s going to play basketball and play as hard as he can. We’re not talking about Houston James Harden. Durant is as credible a superstar as there is. May request a transaction. He has that right. But Brooklyn doesn’t have to. We’ll see what comes of this reported meeting.
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