There is a scenario in which Kevin Durant plays for the Brooklyn Nets this season and perhaps beyond. But in order to get that outcome, the Nets would have to fire their head coach Steve Nash.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Durant, who made a trade request earlier this offseason, recently met for dinner with the Nets’ owner Joe Tsai. During the meeting, the 33-year-old superstar made it clear he still wants to be traded but also said that the exit of Nash and general manager Sean Marks would make him change his mind.
Durant reportedly “does not have faith in the team’s direction” and doesn’t want to be in Brooklyn if Nash and Marks remain part of the organization. On the other hand, Tsai looks unwilling to entertain the player’s ultimatum, having tweeted on Monday that the Nets’ front office and coaching staff have his “full support.”
It’s been over a month since Kevin Durant made his trade request, and most teams in the league have reached out to the Nets since then to at least check out their asking price. However, only a handful has been mentioned as realistic destinations for Durant, including the Boston Celtics, the Toronto Raptors, and the Miami Heat. The Phoenix Suns were also in the running at one point, but their pursuit ended once they had signed center Deandre Ayton to a rookie-max extension.
The Celtics have reportedly been closest to a deal with a package centered on All-Star Jaylen Brown. However, the talks fell through after the Nets asked for Marcus Smart, the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, to be included in the deal.
