Kevin Durant announces upcoming visit to Taiwan https://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/bkn/brooklyn-nets
https://theathletic.com/3509122/2022/08/16/kevin-durant-trade-request-nba-players/ If a trade doesn’t materialize before Nets camp begins in late September, is Durant willing to go full Jimmy Butler if he doesn’t get what he wants? Or, perhaps, will he go the route of his Nets teammate Simmons and not report to camp (as Simmons did in Philadelphia last season)? Most folks around the league with whom I spoke seem to believe the answer is no, but we shall see. As for the notion that the Marks-Nash ultimatum might speed up the process by forcing the Nets to lower their lofty demands in a deal, I didn’t find much support for that idea either. “Marks is still asking for the world; that won’t change,” one front office executive texted late last week. “They could call his bluff and make him come to camp. I can’t see him sitting out.” […] Among the executives with whom I spoke, a Boston deal with Jaylen Brown as the centerpiece appears to be the unofficial front-runner here. In general terms, sources say the Nets are using the fact that the Celtics (and perhaps other teams) have made their second-best player available as a baseline of sorts in negotiations. Translation: If you’re still trying to discuss a Durant deal without putting your second-best talent on the table, then just stop wasting everyone’s time and bow out of this race. _______________________
https://theathletic.com/3526628/2022/08/22/kevin-durant-donovan-mitchell-trade-talk-shams/ In terms of trade action, no deal is closer along at the moment, but a new suitor has emerged from the Western Conference. The Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat remain among the most serious threats to land Durant because they have the types of pieces necessary to satisfy the Nets’ asking price in a deal for the two-time NBA Finals MVP. However, no one yet has met Brooklyn’s high price tag of an All-Star, other high-level players and draft picks — and conversations with those three front-runners have been non-existent recently. The Celtics offered All-Star Jaylen Brown, guard Derrick White and a first-round draft pick in July, according to league sources; the Raptors have refused to make Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes available; and Miami has yet to seriously engage with a package around All-Star Bam Adebayo. The Philadelphia 76ers expressed recent interest in Durant while the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets also inquired with the Nets in late June and early July to gauge the price tag, according to sources. The New Orleans Pelicans inquired with the Nets on June 30 as well but deemed All-Star Brandon Ingram as untouchable, sources said. Also in the past month, the Atlanta Hawks offered John Collins, De’Andre Hunter and a draft pick for Durant, according to sources. None of those conversations gained much traction. Recently, a new team has shown interest in Durant: the Memphis Grizzlies, league sources tell The Athletic. Fresh off a 56-win season, the Grizzlies have made new inquiries to the Nets about Durant, those sources added. Memphis has five first-round draft picks available (four unprotected selections of its own and one protected via Golden State in 2024) to utilize in a trade as well as young players like Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, Ziaire Williams, Brandon Clarke, Kennedy Chandler and David Roddy. The Grizzlies, so far, do not appear inclined to include Jackson or Bane in a potential offer for Durant, sources said, but rather a package built around their bevy of draft picks. The Phoenix Suns similarly have dangled a package around All-Defensive wing Mikal Bridges and a handful of first-round draft picks, which has not picked up any steam with the Nets, league sources said. With Deandre Ayton signed to a four-year maximum contract and unable to be moved until January, Phoenix has attempted over the past month to make creative proposals to Brooklyn, possibly via three- or four-team trades where an All-Star-caliber player goes to the Nets. But the Suns have yet to find a suitable deal — and that is largely why they appear to be behind Boston, Toronto and Miami in the Durant sweepstakes. Among the interested teams, the Celtics have been viewed across the league as the clear-cut answer as the team that has the ingredients to make a deal with Brooklyn happen. For now, Boston has not included guard Marcus Smart or center Robert Williams in a proposal, sources said. The Celtics have up to three first-round picks available to trade to Brooklyn. When Brooklyn rejected Boston’s offer last month, the Nets countered by requesting Brown, Smart, draft picks and potentially one more rotation player, according to sources. So yes, Boston has the necessary pieces and Brooklyn has listened, but a gap exists.
As a general NBA fan, I'm glad he's staying. But...maybe this will work out in the long run for the Rockets, maybe a failed run will only heighten frustrations. Guess we'll see.
Good move by Marks. He went to Durant and said you either stay here or you’ll be with the Grizzlies or Utah tomorrow. Here’s why we couldn’t get a deal done with LA, Miami, or whoever. Durant was never going to leave NY to go to a gutted Memphis or a Utah where he might or might not play with another star player and with owners who would never go way over the luxury tax to go get other stars. Staying in Brooklyn always made the most sense if his goal is to win, play with other stars, and in a desirable market. The ask for Brooklyn as part of the deal is probably for them to show Durant who they can trade and for what. My guess is they have some sort of traction on a Kyrie deal that could get some reliable role players around Durant and they are maybe selling him on free agents coming in a year or two.
*Trade me* No *Fire Marks/Nash* No *Might not report to camp* Yeah you will *Might retire* No you won’t *You right, let’s #runitback*
Not surprise in the least that KD is staying in BRK. KD had zero leverage and was the least likely star to hold out, due to him being 34, a "hooper" and very cognizant of his legacy. Once Tsai said no to all his demands, KD had zero options left except for holding out, which would've essentially been retiring due to his age and the fact that his contract is 4 years.
