The Brooklyn Nets are at a standoff with their superstar forward, Kevin Durant. Despite inking the previous MVP to a multi-year extension just last summer, Durant told the Nets he would like a fresh start reasonably than proceed playing for the organization.
Reports have indicated that Durant doesn’t trust the team’s head coach Steve Nash and the final manager, Sean Marks, to place the Nets on the proper path to earning an NBA title. Meanwhile, Brooklyn’s ownership made it clear that the organization would hold onto Nash and Marks.
Subsequently, Durant stays unhappy and desires a trade. Unfortunately for Durant and the Nets, an absence of leverage leaves them in the identical spot as they were before. There may be a superb probability the situation could make little progress when training camp arrives.
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If that’s the case, there may be a growing expectation across the league that Durant could cause a “ruckus” in Brooklyn, in response to NBA Insider Marc Stein. And one anonymous NBA executive went so far as mentioning that Durant was “more prone to retire than play for the Nets again,” per Stein.
Not long after Stein’s report made waves on social media, Durant took to Twitter to shoot down the concept of stepping away from the sport of basketball if his wishes weren’t granted.
“I do know most individuals will imagine unnamed sources over me, but when it’s anyone on the market that’ll listen, I don’t plan on retiring anytime soon,” said Durant. “S*** is comical at this point.”
Durant didn’t deny the reports that he desired to be traded, but he clarified that early retirement shouldn’t be within the cards. While the situation in Brooklyn could get uglier before it gets resolved, the superstar forward doesn’t seem willing to take it to extreme levels to scare his team into trading him away at a lower value.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You may follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
