Mid-August is usually a slow period for the NBA. As teams and players settle into their new realities and prepare for training camp, things simmer to a crawl, and fans are exposed only to deafening silence for weeks on end.
This year, Kevin Durant has flipped all that on its head. After making his desire for a change clear to the Brooklyn Nets, Durant’s name has been the headline of countless rumors, stories, and reports.
On Spotify Live, Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson dropped the latest rumor on this whole situation — and it’s the craziest one yet.
“I believe Kevin Durant is trying to create a CEO takeover where Rich Kleiman is elevated to a position of power inside the Brooklyn Nets front office.”
Scoop B (@ScoopB) on Spotify Live:
“I believe Kevin Durant is trying to create a CEO takeover where Rich Kleiman is elevated to a position of power inside the Brooklyn Nets front office.”
— Leb 🦋 (@PlayboiLeb) August 10, 2022
In truth, it’s really more of a feeling than an actual report, but it does make sense if that’s Durant’s plan.
Since arriving with the Nets, Durant has been subjected to chaos and turmoil from all sides, and there has been practically no on-court success to make up for it.
He also issued an ultimatum to team owner Joe Tsai, essentially telling him to choose between himself and the tandem of Steve Nash and Sean Marks. Marks, at least it seems, has chosen the latter, and Durant has pretty much completely checked out.
“These are two individuals (Sean Marks and Steve Nash) that there’s a level of displeasure towards, that there might even be a level, like, get these guys out of there,” said Shams Charania. “But to actually make that direct ultimatum, that was not something that happened before this weekend. And I think once that happened, it’s clear that mentally, emotionally, like he’s checked out like he’s not there in Brooklyn. And so, that’s what I think has created all of this.”
Rich Kleiman is Durant’s long-time agent, and he’s obviously one of the few people Durant trusts fully. If the superstar swingman really wants a new face running the organization, what better person for the job than his own agent?
In that scenario, he’d practically own the Nets franchise and would obviously stick around for at least a few more years.
For now, though, that’s just one of the many possibilities in these sweepstakes.
