Getty Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics and Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets.
The Brooklyn Nets received the worst news they could’ve gotten following the meeting of Kevin Durant and team owner Joe Tsai.
Durant still wanting to be trade is bad enough, but he took things a step forward by saying he’s lost faith in the direction of the franchise. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Durant wants the team to choose between him and Steve Nash and Sean Marks.
“In a face-to-face meeting with Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai over the weekend, All-NBA star Kevin Durant reiterated his trade request and informed Tsai that he needs to choose between Durant or the pairing of general manager Sean Marks and coach Steve Nash, sources with direct knowledge of the meeting tell ‘The Athletic,'” he wrote.
If Durant was 10 years younger, this might’ve been a simpler decision to make, but considering the fact he will be turning 34 next month, the Nets are left in a tough position.
It’s not often you see a team letting go of their coach and then instantly winning a championship, something the Nets are trying to do, but it has happened. A few recent examples of this is Tyronn Lue in 2016 and Frank Vogel in 2020.
Steve Nash was a first-time head coach, like Lue, but things did not go as well for him as they did for Lue in Cleveland. Instead of firing their coach and general manager, the Nets might find it easier to open trade talks back up.
The best offer they received so far was first-time All-Star Jaylen Brown for Durant, and Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey suggests they visit that again.
Brown for Durant
The Celtics are coming off an NBA Finals appearance, so it’s clear the roster as it’s currently constructed is one that can potentially win a championship, but adding a talent like Durant doesn’t come around every day.
However, the Nets have a high asking price for their star forward, and it includes a plethora of draft picks and players immediately ready to step in and contribute.
“Tsai and the Nets would be wise to re-engage with potential Durant suitors now,” Bailey wrote. “See if they might be willing to meet what Charania described as a “sky-high threshold” for acquiring him. If those suitors don’t want to pay the price, Brooklyn can simply say, “Fine, KD has given us a path to keeping him, and we’re going to take it.”
Bailey wants the Nets to re-engage talks with the Celtics to see if they can still get Brown, and perhaps reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart with him.
“And they should start with the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat,” he continued. “According to Charania, those three “remain the most significant candidates to acquire Durant. After getting some time to sit on things, is Boston now willing to part with both Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart?”
Lots of Paths to Take
Our front office and coaching staff have my support. We will make decisions in the best interest of the Brooklyn Nets.
The Nets could decide to give into to Durant, and Irving for that matter, by deciding to fire Nash and Marks. This seems like something Tsai isn’t willing to do judging by his August 8 tweet, but it would be a way to keep the championship contending team together.
If that’s not an option, the Nets would be wise to reopen trade talks with teams and see if they can get some star talent back in exchange for Durant.
READ NEXT: Nets Take Strong Stance on Ben Simmons Amid Kevin Durant Drama