“It has become clear that the NBA maxim is happy player, happy life” - Miami Heat insider gives his take on the Kevin Durant-Brooklyn Nets debacle
Since Joe Tsai's meeting with Kevin Durant earlier this week, the prospect of the player getting traded has become stronger with each passing day.
Sources: Kevin Durant informed Joe Tsai that he does not have faith in the Nets‘ direction. The meeting was described as transparent and professional, with a clear message: Keep me -- or the GM and coach. theathletic.com/3485297/2022/0… twitter.com/ShamsCharania/…
Durant reiterated his trade request and demanded that the Nets either keep him or head coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks.
The Brooklyn Nets have been in a rut ever since they got swept in the first round of the 2022 playoffs, with the front office also failing to reach an agreement on Kyrie Irving's extension.
Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel commented on the matter, stating:
"Hasn’t Kevin Durant seemingly gotten everything he has wanted from the Nets over his Brooklyn tenure, from a year’s pay without playing, to adding Kyrie Irving and James Harden, to getting a coach he said that he liked until he said he didn’t? "
Could Erik Spoelstra go with revolving-door Heat lineups? Latest "Ask Ira" at sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… plus more.
And the other argument to be made is that he still seems to be holding plenty of leverage, including the Nets looking to facilitate his trade demand at fair-market value. It has become clear that the NBA maxim is happy player, happy life . . . no matter the contract status." (via) Sun Sentinel
Durant has asked out of the Nets with the entirety of his $194 million extension pending, making the market for him precarious. Most teams around the league would have to shed roster spots to create the necessary cap space for the star, besides also potentially losing All-Star caliber players.
Joe Tsai and Co. have reportedly made it clear that they will not budge on Durant unless given the appropriate return.
Wh teichams have a realistic chance of landing Kevin Durant?
Shams Charania of The Atheltic had reported earlier in the week that the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat remain the top landing spots for Kevin Durant.
The Miami Heat have already declared Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo off limits in the trade package, which would lower the Nets' interest significantly.
The Celtics' original offer of Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and draft-picks was shot down by the Nets. However, if the Celtics are bullish on Kevin Durant, they could put together a convincing offer on the table that would include Brown, Smart, and draft capital.
The Toronto Raptors seem to have the young talent and the draft capital Brooklyn would need, and although several conflicting reports have come out about the position of ROTY Scottie Barnes in those trades, the Raptors will likely not gain any traction during trade discussions without offering Barnes.