Kevin Durant

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34446879/brooklyn-nets-kevin-durant-meet-agree-move-forward-together-star-trade-demands



Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Durant meet, agree to 'move forward' together after star's trade demands


8:16 AM PT
ESPN


Kevin Durant is staying in Brooklyn, according to a statement from Nets general manager Sean Marks.

"[Coach] Steve Nash and I, together with [governors] Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai, met with Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman in Los Angeles yesterday," Marks said in a statement. "We have agreed to move forward with our partnership. We are focusing on basketball, with one collective goal in mind: build a lasting franchise to bring a championship to Brooklyn."


Durant initially asked for a trade on June 30 and reiterated that desire in a meeting with Joe Tsai in London, sources confirmed to ESPN, earlier this month. During that meeting, Durant wanted Tsai to choose between him and the brain trust of Nash and Marks.

Instead, Nash and Marks will retain their jobs, while Durant will remain in Brooklyn as the four-year, $198 million extension he signed last offseason kicks in this season.


The Nets have spent the better part of the offseason dealing with upheaval from stars Durant and Kyrie Irving.

Irving, who played in 29 games last season after choosing to not get the COVID-19 vaccine, created a list of teams he would have liked the Nets to consider working with on a sign-and-trade deal. However, no viable trade materialized and Irving opted into the final year of his contract. The Nets could still trade him as an expiring contract (although Irving would have no formal voice in a potential landing spot) and have until June 30 of next year to work out an extension before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

With Irving and Durant still with the team, the Nets will look to improve upon last year's first-round playoff exit and hope Ben Simmons will be a part of that.

Simmons was traded to Brooklyn in a deal that sent James Harden to Philadelphia, but has not yet made his Nets debut. Simmons underwent a microdiscectomy procedure in May to address pain located in a herniated disk in his lower back, but he is expected to be healthy for training camp.

According to Caesars Sportsbook, the Nets' odds to win the NBA championship moved from 18-1 to 9-1 after the Nets announced Durant will stay. The 9-1 odds push Brooklyn ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for fourth-best odds to win the title behind the Celtics (+450), Warriors (+650), Suns (+800), Clippers (+800) and Bucks (+800).


Bob
MY NOTE:  Now, FINALLY, we can put this to bed.  Notice, neither Steve Nash nor Sean Marks are gone.  KD just got stared down by Jerry Tsai.


.

Bob, No one wanted him enough, which in a way is too bad, because the Nets have the potential to be scary good (again). I think Simmons is key. Neither Irving nor Durant is a leader, except with the ball. Simmons may have that ability to think for the team. He’s young, has plenty to prove. Still like our Js and Timelord better, but we need a rim protector behind RW. hawk

So the saga has finally ended. Cool. We can focus on the next season now.

Nets get registered as a contender. I will look forward to the Celts playing them. Those will be real good games.

Like our team so far. Does Gallo replace Theis as part time 5?

My focus can now turn in earnest to the upcoming season.

I figured the Nets would try to keep their team together.  They have a lot of talent.

I like our guys and have a high level of optimism that they can win.

Great comment, BobH...

KD just got started down by Jerry Tsai.  

Golden Rule Corollary - He who has the gold makes the rules.

Finally one for the owners and someone showing who's boss. Now we'll see if Jerry made the RIGHT decision. Order has been somewhat restored for them.  It will all depend on the 3 A-Egos and whether they are checked at the door like for us in 2007-08.  We'll see on the court.  I'll push all-in on that bet for any sucker that wants to take it.  That's like trying to push and move a 40-ton rock buried halfway up in concrete by hand.  Good luck with that.  We'll still sweep them.  Get your popcorn and belly wash ready.  

db

Belly wash? Must be a N.C. thing I have never heard of before.

Worcester,

Anything carbonated drink related. Definitely Southern. Probably NC.

From the internet dictionary so it has to be true...

[ bel-ee-wosh, -wawsh ] noun. any barely drinkable liquid or beverage, as inferior soda, beer, coffee, or soup

db

Thanks db. If I ever write a novel, I will use that phrase like in this opening paragraph:

Captain Bob "Hoops" Meckler was tired after leading the assault on Teheran. His crack troops were exhausted too, and he wished he could order up some hot pastrami sandwiches and belly wash for them from the mess hall. But there was no mess hall, only cold k-rations in their packs..."

worcester wrote:Thanks db. If I ever write a novel, I will use that phrase like in this opening paragraph:

Captain Bob "Hoops" Meckler was tired after leading the assault on Teheran. His crack troops were exhausted too, and he wished he could order up some hot pastrami sandwiches and belly wash for them from the mess hall. But there was no mess hall, only cold k-rations in their packs..."

What happened to, "It was a dark and stormy night."?

If I were a professional novelist, I should have gone that route. Thanks for the advice, dboss. I will put that into the rewrite.

You guys are hilarious!!

db

Sorry gyso. I owed you the editorial credit, not dboss. You will still get a cut of the royalties from the film rights. Amazon is picking up the book and making a series out of it.

Dboss arrived in Boston today.  All hell is fixing to break loose.

dboss wrote:Dboss arrived in Boston today.  All hell is fixing to break loose.

‘Fried Clams Freaknic’ !!

Ktron wrote:

dboss wrote:Dboss arrived in Boston today.  All hell is fixing to break loose.

‘Fried Clams Freaknic’ !!

Yes indeed