Nets owner Joe Tsai responds to Kevin Durant trade report, defends front office and Steve Nash staff
No sleep til Brooklyn… solves his Kevin Durant problem.
And things between owner and player are heating up once again.
Just when it seemed the dust was about to settle on all the Nets drama surrounding All-Stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, a new report Monday detailed Durant’s final meeting with owner Joe Tsai.
According to The Athletic’s Shams CharaniaDurant and Tsai met over the weekend, and the former MVP “reiterated his trade request and informed Tsai that Tsai must choose between Durant or pairing general manager Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash.”
Charania also explained Durant’s rationale for this ultimatum, stating that he “has no faith in the team’s direction.”
MORE: How much longer will Kevin Durant be a superstar?
A few hours later, Tsai made himself very clear, taking to Twitter to pledge his allegiance to the Nets’ front office and coaching staff.
Our front office and coaching team have my support. We will make decisions in the best interests of the Brooklyn Nets.
— Joe Tsai (@joetsai1999) August 8, 2022
It’s not very common to see a team owner tweet in response to reported trade rumors, but that’s exactly where the chaos in Brooklyn has led at the moment.
It had only been two seasons since the Nets’ front office tailored everything entirely to Durant and Irving’s wishes, parting ways with Kenny Atkinson to hire Steve Nash before trading a future All-Star in Jarrett Allen and a substantial one Offered draft pay in a blockbuster deal Acquire James Harden.
Injuries prevented Durant, Irving and Harden from truly reaching their full potential together in their freshman year, and Irving’s vaccination status derailed their potential for last season before it even started. Despite Irving playing in a part-time role, the Nets were still title favorites early in the season.
MORE: Inside Kevin Durant’s ultimatum to the Nets
Eventually, as drama continued to unfold, the Nets exited Harden in another blockbuster trade to acquire Ben Simmons, who was never eligible for Brooklyn in 2021-22. The Nets were swept out of the playoffs by the Celtics in the first round, making for an off-season nightmare.
While Tsai has sided with the front office and coaching staff, the Nets appear no closer to a deal for Durant.
MORE: What a team has to offer to land Kevin Durant in a trade
Charania reported, “Almost every NBA team has made a request, but no team has been able to meet Brooklyn’s ‘sky-high threshold’ for the return that the franchise desires for Durant.”
He added that “the Celtics, Raptors and Heat remain ‘the primary candidates to take over Durant.'”
Stay tuned because this Durant saga is far from over.