"All the s**t hits the fan... This generation is some goons!" - Former NBA champion reacts to Kevin Durant's latest request to Nets ownership
Kevin Durant's ultimatum is garnering reactions from around the world. Former NBA champion and analyst Kendrick Perkins had some fiery words for the superstar.
The Athletic's Shams Charania recently reported details of the meeting between Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant and Nets owner Joe Tsai. Although the meeting was, to all appearances, "transparent and professional," the nature of the discussion was rather heavy.
In a meeting with Nets owner Joe Tsai, Kevin Durant reiterated his trade request and informed Tsai that Tsai needs to choose between Durant or the pairing of general manager Sean Marks and coach Steve Nash, sources say.
Story: theathletic.com/3485297/2022/0…
Durant reportedly put forward an ultimatum to Tsai which forced a choice between himself or the pair of GM Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash. Considering the sheer nature of the demand, people in the basketball community have had a variety of reactions to the situation.
Kendrick Perkins also shared his thoughts on the subject. As a former teammate of Durant's, one would imagine that Perkins would have his back. Instead, Perkins said:
"So let’s get this straight… KD requests a trade the day after the draft, all the s**t hits the fan and a month later he doubles up and calls for the jobs of the GM and the Coach? This generation is some goons! Carry on…"
So let’s get this straight… KD requests a trade the day after the draft, all the shit hits the fan and a month later he doubles up and calls for the jobs of the GM and the Coach?
This generation is some goons! Carry on…
Kendrick Perkins offered a perspective that resonated with a different era of basketball. Players such as Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan embodied loyalty towards their franchise, and Perkins highlighted the differences in mentality.
Although Durant's approach may be drastic, he has garnered some support towards his cause from the Brooklyn faithful. With some teams in the running to acquire him as well, the superstar could find himself rocking new threads ahead of the new season.
Which teams want to acquire Kevin Durant?
Nets owner Joe Tsai spent no time responding to Durant's ultimatum. Voicing his stance on siding with Brooklyn's front-office and coaching staff, Tsai has made it abundantly clear that the Nets will move in a different direction.
Our front office and coaching staff have my support. We will make decisions in the best interest of the Brooklyn Nets.
This in itself could be suggestive of a potential trade in the works. With training camp less than six weeks away, the narratives surrounding the Durant trade saga are bound to pick up again.
As things stand, there are three teams that are reportedly still involved in the sweepstakes for the Nets superstar. These include the Miami Heat, the Boston Celtics and the Toronto Raptors.
The Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat remain the most significant candidates to acquire Kevin Durant, per @ShamsCharania https://t.co/vXNSX7jmO9
The teams have already made rather compelling offers to the Nets for Durant. Unfortunately, the Nets' steep asking price for the star has been a bit of a hindrance in the proceedings.
With the Raptors, the issue emerged with regards to including Scottie Barnes in the negotiations. With the Heat, a similar issue emerged as Bam Adebayo became a key asset that Brooklyn set their eyes on.
The Celtics have found themselves in an interesting position in this regard. Having reportedly packaged Jaylen Brown along with Derrick White and draft picks in the past for Durant, Boston are a likely landing spot.
Considering that all the teams will face some amount of adversity with regards to creating a package for Durant, any talk of a trade may take some time.
However, the situation hardly favors the superstar as his contract binds him to Brooklyn until 2026. With no leverage in the matter, Kevin Durant could just as likely find himself in a Nets uniform come training camp.