Boardroom, the media company co-founded in 2020 by Kevin Durant and business partner Rich Kleiman has eliminated its entire full-time editorial staff, according to multiple reports. Former writer Michelai Graham confirmed the layoffs publicly, and HuffPost’s Philip Lewis reported that the cuts impacted the outlet’s full-time editorial team.
The timing is what has raised eyebrows across the sports and media landscape.
Boardroom was launched as a premium sports-business platform, blending athlete storytelling, investment coverage, culture reporting, newsletters, podcasts, and video projects. By 2022, the company reportedly had around 25 employees. It even expanded into film, backing projects like the Oscar-winning short Two Distant Strangers. For a player-led media brand, Boardroom positioned itself as forward-thinking and polished.
Now, the company’s website lists no staff beyond its founders.
The layoffs come amid heavy online speculation surrounding Durant’s alleged burner account scandal. Over All-Star Weekend, screenshots from an account believed by some to belong to Durant went viral. The posts contained sharp criticism of former teammates, current players, and coaches, including comments about Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Devin Booker, Steve Kerr, and even younger Rockets teammates like Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr.
Durant has denied engaging in ‘Twitter nonsense’ and refused to confirm ownership of the account. There is still no concrete proof linking him directly to it. Even so, the internet narrative has snowballed.
Boardroom has not issued a public statement connecting the layoffs to Durant’s controversy. Officially, the company continues posting routine content across its platforms. No explanation has been offered for the decision to cut the entire full-time editorial division.
Still, perception matters.
Boardroom’s brand has always been closely tied to Durant’s personal identity. Unlike larger media corporations that operate independently of a founder’s public image, Boardroom exists largely because of Durant’s stature and credibility in the sports business. When his name trends for negative reasons, the ripple effect naturally touches the company.
Whether the layoffs are financially driven, strategic restructuring, or purely coincidental remains unclear. Media companies across the industry have faced cost-cutting pressures over the past two years. Advertising revenue shifts, podcast saturation, and newsletter competition have forced several outlets to reassess staffing models. It is possible Boardroom is pivoting toward a leaner, creator-focused structure rather than maintaining a traditional newsroom.
Yet the overlap with the burner account saga has fueled speculation that the optics became too complicated.
Until leadership addresses the situation directly, the connection between the layoffs and Durant’s online drama will continue to linger.
In today’s media ecosystem, silence often speaks loudest.
