Kevin Durant’s future with the Brooklyn Nets remains uncertain. The franchise is likely still looking for a trade to move on from the former MVP. While some have suggested that KD should work it out with the organization and give it another shot, it seems like an unlikely outcome at this point. Durant himself seems to be focusing on his other work, recently posting about new developments made by the Durant Family Foundation.
Throughout the process, people have been operating under the assumption that Durant will be playing for whichever team he’s on when the season rolls around. This belief is based on KD’s well-known obsession with basketball. It’s difficult to imagine him missing any games.
However, NBA analyst Chris Broussard has now questioned what might happen if Durant doesn’t do what’s expected of him though. There is precedent in recent times of stars sitting games out with ‘injuries’ when they’re trying to force a move, and Durant possibly does have that option at his disposal. Broussard elaborated on his views on The Odd Couple.
“What if he comes to training camp and got a “back injury?” That’s where I say, like, if he makes it so ugly, right? A la James Harden, a la Ben Simmons, a la Anthony Davis, or if I get blown away by a deal. Those are situations where you might have to trade him. But I don’t know that Kevin Durant would do that. Most people feel like, including me, that he won’t.
“If I trade with Boston, I better not be getting equal value. I better be getting more than equal value. So, what I think Kevin Durant should do is he should go in there and talk to the owner Joe Tsai, and say, ‘Look, let’s run it back. Forget the trade request. Y’all tried, I appreciate you. You trying.’
“The only places he could go with a better chance of winning the championship would be like Golden State or Boston if it was an equal deal. Like if it was say, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and draft picks. Outside of those, the best place is Brooklyn.
KD is a very different animal compared to any of Harden, Davis, and Simmons; he has historically almost just lived to play ball. The Nets will be worried that the situation has gotten so bad that he might be tempted to sit out, though. The franchise is in a bit of a hole either way and they must handle this situation with the utmost care.
