Megastar Kevin Durant issued an ultimatum to the Brooklyn Nets - choose between me or coach Steve Nash and Kiwi general manager Sean Marks, The Athletic reported on Tuesday (NZ time).
It was well-documented that Durant requested a trade at the end of June. The reasons were unknown until now - Durant doesn't believe in the direction of the club in the hands of Marks and Nash, per the report.
Durant and Nets owner Joe Tsai spoke Sunday in London, a conversation that was "transparent and professional," per The Athletic.
Tsai has since come out in support of Marks and Nash, saying in a tweet: "Our front office and coaching staff have my support. We will make decisions in the best interest of the Brooklyn Nets".
Sunday was the one-year anniversary of Durant signing a four-year, US$198 million extension with the Nets. He is slated to make US$42.97 million for the 2022-23 season, per Spotrac, to kick off that extension.
The Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat and Boston Celtics are widely reported to be the most serious players in the Durant sweepstakes.
A two-time NBA Finals MVP and four-time scoring champion, Durant joined Brooklyn as a free agent in 2019 alongside Kyrie Irving. Durant averaged 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists in 55 games this past season with the Nets, who traded fellow All-Star James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in a blockbuster deal involving Ben Simmons.
Irving, a seven-time All-Star, picked up his US$36.5 million option, though the Nets are said to be willing to listen to trade offers.
Durant, the 2013-14 league MVP, has career averages of 27.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 939 games with the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder (2007-16), Warriors (2016-19) and Nets.
The Nets were swept by the Celtics in the first round of the 2022 playoffs.
Reuters/Newshub.
