Despite weeks having passed since Durant’s initial trade demand, the situation in Brooklyn remains at a stalemate for the time being.
With Durant adamant about not playing with Nash and Marks still employed by the team and Joe Tsai essentially refusing to meet his demands, this has basically turned into a waiting game.
On NBA Today Tuesday afternoon, Brian Windhorst dropped the latest update on the whole saga:
“What’s kind of developed over those forty-seven days is that we now have two different negotiations,” said Windhorst. “One of course is with all of those teams interested in Kevin Durant. We just haven’t seen significant traction in any of those deals. The Nets’ asking price is very high and their leverage for getting those teams in offering so much just hasn’t materialized. The other negotiation that is now developing is between Durant and the Nets about what it would look like for him to come back. That’s a big part of the discussions he had with owner Joe Tsai in London. Joe Tsai and the Nets believe they have a really good team. They don’t believe they have a good trade for Kevin Durant and they want him to consider coming back. But Durant has very clearly made it known that he doesn’t want to play for the Nets under the current situation–with the current coach and the current GM. So you have to ask yourself, what is the avenue, what is the path for Kevin Durant to move forward with the Nets.”
"Kevin Durant made it known that he doesn't want to play for the Nets with the current coach and GM… KD has been told 'no' on trades and on firing of Steve Nash & Sean Marks."
-Brian Windhorst on KD's path forward with the Nets.
(via @ESPNNBA)https://t.co/Mnlc7yBH1x
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 16, 2022
With Durant, Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons, Joe Harris, Seth Curry, and Patty Mills, the Nets have a lineup that can compete against the best in the league. On paper, they look like a super team.
If you’re Joe Tsai, why not try to convince KD to come back and give it one more go? Offers are just not great right now, but they could be better after another dominant season.
So far, those talks with Durant have been in vain, but things could change on a dime.
