"If I were Joe Tsai I would say 'I'm going to call your bluff... If you don't want to play at the age of 33, I'm gonna hold firm"' - Jay Williams expresses support for Brooklyn Nets owner amid Kevin Durant fiasco
Sports analyst Jay Williams has expressed his support for Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai as tensions with star player Kevin Durant escalate.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Durant had given the Brooklyn Nets owner an ultimatum during their meeting this week.
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.
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Durant demanded that either Tsai trade him away or get rid of general manager Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash.
On ESPN's "Keyshawn, JWill & Max," Williams said Tsai needs to call Durant's bluff and not allow the two-time champion to dictate terms.
"Kevin Durant can huff and puff all he wants, he can tell me that it's either me or Sean Marks or Steve Nash, if that rumor is true, if that is actually what went down, we're still waiting for that to be confirmed.
"If that is was is true, if I were Joe Tsai, I would say 'I'm going to call your bluff.' "
Williams added:
"'If I can't recieve equivalent value or more for a trade for you I can't move you KD, I can't move you.' Now there may be some wiggle room here with Steve Nash. At the end of the day, if you don't want to play at the age of 33 with four years left on your deal, oh I'm gonna hold firm."
Kevin Durant
Durant has often been described as a generational talent, one worth building an entire roster around. However, it is hard to look past the hole he has left his teams in since 2016.
He left the Thunder in 2016, just months after blowing a 3-1 lead against the Golden State Warriors in the conference finals. He enjoyed plenty of success with the Warriors alongside the trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. But he fell out with the organization and left after helping them win two titles.
He signed with the Nets in an attempt to play alongside Kyrie Irving and make them contenders for the title, but has failed to win a single playoff series during his time in Brooklyn.
Durant is a generational scorer, but is not a two-way wing or a designated rim-protector. His defense is often overlooked while assessing his performances because of the numbers he puts up on offense.
If he leaves the Nets without playing out his contract, his legacy will be turnished even further in the eyes of many.