As per recent reports, in a face-to-face meeting with Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai over the weekend, former NBA MVP Kevin Durant restated his trade request. The former Golden State Warriors star also informed Tsai that he needs to choose between Durant or the pairing of general manager Sean Marks and coach Steve Nash as per sources with direct knowledge of the meeting.
But earlier today, Brooklyn Nets team governor Joe Tsai may have caught Kevin Durant's bluff. As he tweeted his support towards the Nets coach and front office as he posted, "Our front office and coaching staff have my support. We will make decisions in the best interest of the Brooklyn Nets."
Talking about the meeting, Durant expressed that he does not any faith in the team’s direction, sources said. Durant and Tsai had a conversation in London on Saturday and reports say that the discussion was transparent and professional. This meeting fell on 7 August, the day when Durant agreed to a four-year $198 million contract extension with the Nets last year.
Addressing the possible trade destinations, the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat remain the most prominent candidates to acquire Durant, as per reports. The Boston Celtic have reportedly created a package around All-Star forward Jaylen Brown seen as a viable deal. Tsai and the Nets have made it clear that they will be taking every last asset from a team that trades for Durant.
During this period, several basketball minds have questioned Kevin Durant’s loyalty to his team and the city but former NBA player Jalen Rose disagreed with this fact on his podcast "Jalen & Jacoby," and stated that KD is a loyal friend with the chaos around him regarding James Harden and Kyrie Irving.
He said, “Find you a friend that's loyal as KD cause let me tell you something the way James Harden quit on the Nets we have to have some real conversations. Do you know what I'm saying?”
“We ended up trading Harden for Ben Simmons. We traded you for Ben Simmons and he had surgery and didn't play. They didn't pay Kyrie. You don't think they've had some conversations? Find you a friend, that's is loyal as KD. I appreciate whatever friendship they had before they played together.