Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most vocal critics of the modern NBA that works as a pundit. He has often publicly called out players that he has had beef with on Inside The NBA. Many times, it leads to the players forming a bond with Shaq by responding to his criticisms on the court as Joel Embiid did, but sometimes it can go the other way, like how it did with JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard.
Shaq has called out another modern star in Kevin Durant, for his trade request to leave the Brooklyn Nets after the team built around him and accommodated his requests on the Rich Eisen Show.
“When you put a house together, you should live in it. You were the one that got the other architect from Philadelphia, so you as a leader, should make it work, but you don’t want to make it work, I guess you go buy another house. You know he’s probably trying to get to a contender. It’s easier that way.”
"When you put a house together, you should live in it…You, as a leader, should make it work, but you don't want to make it work, I guess…You know he's probably trying to get to a contender. It's easier that way."
Shaq on Kevin Durant's trade request 😳pic.twitter.com/xxgMLBukSg
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 2, 2022
The criticism of Durant can be considered fair by many because he signed a massive contract extension with the Nets last summer. We have never seen a star of Durant’s caliber request a trade with 4 years remaining on their contract before.
The length of KD’s contract has basically made him too expensive for most teams to trade for. Rumors of interest from the Phoenix Suns and the Miami Heat have fizzled out with new rumors of the Boston Celtics being interested. Shaq said he wouldn’t trade Jaylen Brown for Durant, but it seems Brown will have to be the central piece in a package to acquire KD.
KD is scheduled to meet with Nets Governor Joe Tsai to iron out issues with his trade request soon, as no agreeable offer has come the Nets’ way so far. It looks like the wait for a KD move is going to last longer if Tsai can convince KD to return for the 2022-23 season.
