Earlier on Monday word emerged of Kevin Durant’s demands for the Brooklyn Nets to fire both general manager Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash or make good on his pending trade request. This report emerged after Durant’s meeting with Nets team owner Joe Tsai over the weekend.
It was in that meeting when Durant made his request clear to team ownership, and Tsai likely had his own response at that time to the team’s superstar player. Obviously we didn’t hear of that account. Until now.
Responding via Twitter, Tsai is making his preference clear.
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What do the Brooklyn Nets do from here?
If there’s one takeaway from that tweet, it’s that Nets team owner Joe Tsai is choosing to stand behind his current general manager and head coach. Kevin Durant though? Not so much.
Does that mean Durant is traded in the next few days? Possibly. But it could also take weeks, months, or not happen at all.
Durant’s trade request has been on the table since June 30. This isn’t anything new. The Nets have been searching for the best offer they can possibly get for their superstar scorer, but they haven’t been enamored with the packages so far.
Do they and call Durant’s bluff? See if he’s willing to see if the fences can be mended if Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons are healthy for the season? We don’t know the specifics of Durant’s sitdown with Tsai, or how they plan to act, other than their response so far.
Is it strange for a team to pick their unproven coach/gm combo over one of the best players in basketball? Absolutely. But wouldn’t it be just as bad for them to cave to Durant’s demands? That may not necessarily be a good look either.
Maybe they feel they can remain competitive without Durant, banking on the returns from his trade providing a boost. Is that dumb? Probably.
But don’t expect the Nets to suddenly start searching for a new coach and GM just months before the season begins. Instead of wondering if Durant will be traded, instead it seems the proper question would be to wonder when a deal gets done.
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