Yeah, I guess KD maybe to move along a trade? He might even be trying to lower his trade value to force the Nets to move quicker?
Willing to take the PR hit to be moved. Being mean to a Canadian is pretty harsh, though.
Kevin Durant Sweepstakes
- Thread starter Ed Hillel
- Start date
Willing to take the PR hit to be moved. Being mean to a Canadian is pretty harsh, though.
It also hurts the Nets bargaining position quite a bit to know that Durant is pretty adamant about wanting out. I don't think that they can reasonably expect him back this season. How in the world is Nash expected to coach the guy who is demanding that he get fired?
If this was indeed a leak from Durant, he likely had a say in how he wanted Shams to shape the article. In which case, it sounds like he'd like to be traded to Boston. In which case, maybe Durant was the one who leaked the Jaylen stuff from the beginning, not the Nets.
I think significantly more likely and unless another team blows the Nets away with an offer or the Celtics back out, I think Durant ends up in Boston.
While I know Durant is a transcendent player, I wouldn't trade Jaylen for him straight up. There's nothing in KD's career that would make me feel good about him being happy with any situation he's in despite how long he is under contract. In addition, I think having him around Tatum would not be good for Jason's development either.
I'm leaning closer towards Durant wanting to be here with Ime and his Team USA protege Tatum. I think posters (Ed, etc.) here are right that Durant probably played a role in the Celtics being featured in the article. However, this line makes me think that the Nets stand firm and he isn't traded. I doubt Brad - or any other team - tops the previous reported offer of Jaylen+White+picks, which apparently isn't close to enough.
I kind of think he may end up here. This morning Weiss wrote an article on Tatum for the Athletic, and threw this line in there.
Grant had these comments the other day, as well.
The more and more I think about it, the Celtics are the only team that makes any sense. For the Celtics, it's a chance to upgrade from Brown to KD for the next 2 years and add one of the only transcendent talents in the league to an already championship-ready roster. For KD, it's a chance to win another championship and play for one of his guys in Udoka. For the Nets, they get a top 20-25 player in Brown, a starting guard in White, and draft picks. The Nets aren't getting a better package from any other team. Barnes isn't as good as Brown yet. The Heat can't offer Bam unless Simmons is going the other way.
The Celtics can just wait the process out and if they truly want to do this deal, they can tell the Nets to take their offer because it's the best they're going to get.
The Celtics can just wait the process out and if they truly want to do this deal, they can tell the Nets to take their offer because it's the best they're going to get.
Every last asset is funny. There's no bidding war happening here. They'll take the Celtics offer and like it.
If Bam was in play it’s a real tussle. Without him not so much. Unless Toronto gives up Barnes which is doubtful.
Any chance Boston can lower its offer now? I can maybe stomach this more if it's Brown straight up for Durant, but I'd still dislike it.
(Then find another big option with White as a trade chip if he no longer fits on the team?)
(Then find another big option with White as a trade chip if he no longer fits on the team?)
Durant and Kyrie got the last coach fired and handpicked Nash. They were behind the signings of every washed player (DeAndre, Blake, Aldridge), and then applied pressure for the Harden trade. They then caused Harden to want out due to their dysfunction!
Durant is the Tim Robinson hotdog meme.
Durant is the Tim Robinson hotdog meme.
Durant's camp probably knows that the offers out there aren't high enough, and after leaking this story, are unlikely to get higher.
So, I think the leak has more to do with the bolded than anything else, and that's why it is the lead in the article/tweet. Nash was brought on for Durant and Kyrie and it hasn't worked. That's the only reason he's there. What was a difficult situation before is an impossible situation now. No matter happens, Nash is probably out the door.
This leak might hasten the process. Durant gets to pick the next coach and Brooklyn runs it back for at least another year.
The real problem is that the team isn’t going to be better unless Simmons really turns it on.
If Boston trades for Durant, they are going all in on trying to win now. His personality quirks are well known and it would be a massive shock if Brad Stevens weren't aware that a KD acquisition could easily blow up as soon as next summer...or maybe October.
Durant to Boston, if it happens, is Brad's YOLO move. If they fail to win a championship in short order, it may well not matter how KD feels about the balance of his contract. He will likely be shipped out to his next landing spot as the Cs retool again.
In short a Durant trade carries a lot of nasty leverage along with the upside. The Cs brain trust has to know this. Do you trust them to make the "right" decision here?
Durant to Boston, if it happens, is Brad's YOLO move. If they fail to win a championship in short order, it may well not matter how KD feels about the balance of his contract. He will likely be shipped out to his next landing spot as the Cs retool again.
In short a Durant trade carries a lot of nasty leverage along with the upside. The Cs brain trust has to know this. Do you trust them to make the "right" decision here?
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If I was Durant I’d have every incentive to look like a piece of shit publically. He wants to win and has every reason to poison the package his future team will give him. The only risk is the Nets call his bluff. What’s the real difference between kinda shitty and shitty in the end?
I used to think that if the Celts traded for KD that their chances of winning a title next year would increase and then the following season everyone would hate him and the team would fall apart. Now i’m not that sure we would have a year. They might start hating him immediately.
Why would they hate him?
I guarantee you that a guy like Tatum thinks pretty highly of Kevin Durant.
Banner #18? Agreed. This latest thing doesn’t change my opinion at all. I want the trade to happen still. If we can get it for less due to external pressure, all the better.
Pretty much everything that’s been leaked (by both sides) kind of makes me think the complete opposite.
Seems like he’s siding with Kyrie here and that’s part of why he wants Marks and Nash gone.
Honestly, I want no part of Durant. The Nets are going to want a ton of assets, plus hes aging and a complete malcontent. I have no idea how you can hope to build any sort of culture when your superstar takes his ball and goes home when there’s any adversity or hardship.
Remember, Durant went to Brooklyn BECAUSE of Marks and the culture they built. He handpicked Steve Nash as the coach. Now he wants both of them fired….because they both listened to KD too much and it blew up in their face? So that note about him and Ime being close gives me absolutely no comfort. “Close” with Durant means jackshit
I mostly agree.
I think the real problem about the real problem is that they don't know what they are going to get from Simmons. And since they don't know that, the decision making process about what to do about KD is more difficult.
If the whole crew comes back for next season and Simmons is on the court playing well, the Nets might be competitive.
If Simmons is playing, he's tradeable. If Simmons is traded, the options for what KD can bring back in a trade are broader.
If Simmons doesn't get back on the court, maybe Brooklyn is one step closer to tearing everything down completely and who knows what kind of talent they want to build around then? A year+ of Brown probably isn't the call because the roster problems they have will take longer to resolve. Maybe younger (lesser) talent with more control and some external picks to replace the ones they don't have would then make more sense.
If Brooklyn can endure the bullshit, they'll have a better sense of things after the season starts. Easiest COA is to fire Nash now, pacify KD a little, get into the season, and see what they have to work with.
If Durant is actually open to committing to Brooklyn with a regime change and the best offer is Jaylen +, Tsai should drive Marks and Nash to the airport. Which is perhaps an ironic stance to take as someone who would prefer the Celtics don't even do Jaylen for Durant straight up.
Regime change is the play now.
Pretty balls of a move. I think that it will work.
If you're Durant, you're thinking that you can run it back with a coach that you like and an FO that is more receptive to your wishes. If you're the owner, you're thinking that I can keep the band together with a new regime.
Pretty balls of a move. I think that it will work.
If you're Durant, you're thinking that you can run it back with a coach that you like and an FO that is more receptive to your wishes. If you're the owner, you're thinking that I can keep the band together with a new regime.
Seems kind of late for regime change though. This is really an interesting situation. It’s almost mid-August. No idea how you could turn over your coaching staff and front office so quickly without it being an abject disaster. If I’m the Nets, I would take the Celtics package and then move on, assuming it’s something like Jaylen/White/pick.
I agree. While it’s fun to think that KD demanded a trade after Kyrie opted in for next year, I think the issue is that they didn’t extend him long-term and he potentially leaves after next season.
If that was even offered. We only know that such an offer was reported, either planted or leaked by someone with an agenda.
Yes, I did have the qualifier at the end. Clearly, if it’s not the leaked offer, then the Nets have to play hardball. But I find it hard to believe the Celtics wouldn’t have offered up Jaylen. They have to for salary purposes alone. Brad wouldn’t seriously be offering Al, White, and picks or whatever.
I’d agree with this, because we’ve seen it. Last summer there was some soft Jaylen for Simmons rumors, Shams had said the Celtics sniffed around Simmons, and that it would take Jaylen. He didn’t say the Celtics would do it, just what it would cost. Within the hour, multiple local beat guys came out and said they were told that there’s no way they’d offer Jaylen.
I definitely think JB was offered, it just depends on what else the Nets insist on.
The million dollar question is, what if Brooklyn deals Simmons before Durant? Does Miami make Bam available then?
If he had any trade value they probably would. As is they are way better off hoping he regains his form.
Maybe.
But his trade demand came out the day after Kyrie said he was returning. But KD is an odd dude, I can't really begin to know what he's thinking.
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Had to be a tough call whether to eliminate any remaining trade leverage he had or support his FO.
Hard to imagine anyone sweetening their offer now, and if I were the Celtics, I'd tell them Jaylen is off the table if the deal isn't done in the next month. I can't imagine they want to start training camp with this trade hanging over his head.
This is starting to get messy for Brooklyn, which is basically what happens when you get into bed with Kyrie.
Tatum has publicly said he loves this team and wants to run it back. How are you certain that's what he thinks?