"I heard KD just needed a pat on the back; Just needed a little ego boost" - Jalen Rose outlines Kevin Durant's apparent thought process behind staying put in Brooklyn
At the Brooklyn Nets' media day, Kevin Durant gave a straightforward response to his unsuccessful trade request. Reacting to Durant's comments, former NBA player Jalen Rose explained that KD just needed a little ego boost to return to the Nets. Rose said:
"I heard KD just needed a pat on the back; Just needed a little ego boost. The Warriors won it without him. His team didn't trade him even though he asked for one. Kyrie's going to be back. Hopefully Ben Simmons is healthy.
"He just needed them to say, hey man, we know we got swept. But you still great. We still believe in you. We're not going to give up on you. That's all he needed to hear. You've got to do that for your great players every now and then."
Given Durant's value, the Nets did well to convince their superstar to stay. However, the fallout and drama from the entire saga could have a lasting impact on the organization itself.
The Kevin Durant trade saga was one of the primary storylines of the offseason. With several teams interested in the Nets superstar, rumors regarding potential landing spots emerged. However, all reports of KD going elsewhere were dismissed after a few weeks and both parties decided to move forward this season.
Kyrie Irving also announced his decision to stay with the Brooklyn Nets this season. Durant suggested that because of his value to the team, the Nets wouldn't trade him in the offseason. While this could be viewed as arrogance, there could be some truth that supports the claim.
KEVIN DURANT: “I know I'm that good that you're not just going to give me away.”
(via @SNYNets)
https://t.co/SThznmTXZX
Kevin Durant's return signals internal concerns the Brooklyn Nets need to address
While the Brooklyn Nets did a good job of convincing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to stay, the move could lead to some internal concerns within the organization.
The primary concern is the relationship between Steve Nash and KD. Durant had expressed his thoughts to Nets owner Joe Tsai on Nash's ability to lead the team as head coach. Given this is Nash's first job in the NBA as head coach, KD might have some valid concerns.
However, recent reports suggest that Nash and Durant have resolved their differences. In the video below, Nash speaks to ESPN's Malika Andrews about Nets' offseason and KD.
Steve Nash spoke with @malika_andrews about the Nets' offseason conversations surrounding Kevin Durant.
"We just had to talk. ... The bottom line is, we were all hurt." https://t.co/Cq4RM0g8O5
Brooklyn fans can’t wait to see the trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons on the court together. They will play their first preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 4.