Breaking: Kevin Durant has requested a trade; UPDATE: KD wants Sean Marks/Nash fired - Shams

[Tha King]

The only team crazy enough to trade for Kyrie is the Lakers.

People around the league talk. Kyrie is one of the most talented players in the league and is only 30 years old, but got zero contract offers because the word is out on EVERYTHING that he did here to piss Joe Tsai and Sean Marks off. The stuff that we don't know about is probably more egregious than we can imagine.

It would not shock me if this is his last year in the league. You have to be a special kind of jackass to destroy your reputation around the league without even committing a crime.

100%...everyone knows how good of a basketball player kyrie is. He’s unbelievable at times and impossible to guard. He’s also enjoyable as hell to watch when he’s on but he’s not generating interest because of all of the character red flags that he brings with him and that’s not going away because he behaves for 30 games in a contract year.....

Trying to move him at the deadline is incredibly tricky just because of his contract status and who he is. I don’t think I’m splitting the atom saying that or stirring the pot. It’s possible he balls out all year and the nets reward him with a deal and everything’s hunky dory.
It’s also possible he demands out and rocks the boat again.....he’s unpredictable.

That’s exactly why teams have and will be wary of trading for him and he’s not “some easy pick up for a contender at the deadline”.

Honestly, I have no issue with letting him play and letting his contract expire. I also would trade him to the Lakers tomorrow if they said they have a 3rd team to route Westbrook to

Lakers can't offer him a max next offseason anymore so letting Kyrie play out this season makes even more sense now.

Kyrie and Simmons is a good fit so he could be on the team beyond this season depending on how things go. With those two you at least have a playoff contender that could be a lot more depending on the KD return.

[zimpy27]

Marks wants to keep the team together until Jan 15 when Ayton becomes available for trade.

It's the best of both worlds. Get to see how the team looks together and if it's a disaster then you can get a better trade package for Durant.

Only real risk is a significant injury to Durant

I'd rather take Jaylen Brown + rotation players + picks.

You might but right now the bid is Suns with Mikal+CamJ+Saric+4xFRPs and the leading bid is Brown+White+FRP..

So you add Ayton to the Suns bid and you can go back to Celtics to ask for more picks.

[GTR11]

Marks wants to keep the team together until Jan 15 when Ayton becomes available for trade.

It's the best of both worlds. Get to see how the team looks together and if it's a disaster then you can get a better trade package for Durant.

Only real risk is a significant injury to Durant

I'd rather take Jaylen Brown + rotation players + picks.

You might but right now the bid is Suns with Mikal+CamJ+Saric+4xFRPs and the leading bid is Brown+White+FRP..

So you add Ayton to the Suns bid and you can go back to Celtics to ask for more picks.

That's a straight death sentence. No one taking that trash

[MrDollarBills]

Marks wants to keep the team together until Jan 15 when Ayton becomes available for trade.

It's the best of both worlds. Get to see how the team looks together and if it's a disaster then you can get a better trade package for Durant.

Only real risk is a significant injury to Durant

I'd rather take Jaylen Brown + rotation players + picks.

You might but right now the bid is Suns with Mikal+CamJ+Saric+4xFRPs and the leading bid is Brown+White+FRP..

So you add Ayton to the Suns bid and you can go back to Celtics to ask for more picks.

No thanks. I'd still take the Celtics deal. That Phoenix offer is awful.

[zimpy27]

I'd rather take Jaylen Brown + rotation players + picks.

You might but right now the bid is Suns with Mikal+CamJ+Saric+4xFRPs and the leading bid is Brown+White+FRP..

So you add Ayton to the Suns bid and you can go back to Celtics to ask for more picks.

No thanks. I'd still take the Celtics deal. That Phoenix offer is awful.

You may not have read my post properly.
You're essentially saying you want Brown+White+FRP over Brown+White+2-3xFRP

[NetsWorld]

I'd rather take Jaylen Brown + rotation players + picks.

You might but right now the bid is Suns with Mikal+CamJ+Saric+4xFRPs and the leading bid is Brown+White+FRP..

So you add Ayton to the Suns bid and you can go back to Celtics to ask for more picks.

No thanks. I'd still take the Celtics deal. That Phoenix offer is awful.

Marks hard balled other teams and bodied KD hard like the bitch he is and checked Kyrie like the ass he is. Gotta give it to Marks for taking back the franchise. KD ain’t going to the Suns unless the Suns give up Booker; that’s how hard the Nets are playing everyone. Nets are toying with everyone and telling ‘em, “you gotta pay up bitches”!

[MrDollarBills]

Looks like we're running this back unless KD behaves like a big baby and causes trouble/sits out next month.

[GoCeltics123]

Looks like we're running this back unless KD behaves like a big baby and causes trouble/sits out next month.

He's going to sit out imo, but I actually don't think Tsai/Marks will care at all.

The Ben Simmons situation to me kinda changed how execs/coaches handle situations like this; Morey got a ton of criticism for not trading him right away, and ended up getting the deal he wanted at the deadline. The risk the Nets run is the C's potentially taking Jaylen off the table when the season starts, which is possible, but I think Tsai is stubborn and has made it clear he's not budging at all until he gets what he wants.

It's kind of the new player/owner battle that'll be a contentious CBA issue, trade requests and guys sitting out. Owners are sick of being bowled over by stars, and I can't blame them honestly. If KD asked out but still plays for Brooklyn while they look for a deal, I'm sure there wouldn't be as much bad blood within the organization towards how he's handled this.

[Riconet]

Marks hard balled other teams and bodied KD hard like the bitch he is and checked Kyrie like the ass he is. Gotta give it to Marks for taking back the franchise. KD ain’t going to the Suns unless the Suns give up Booker; that’s how hard the Nets are playing everyone. Nets are toying with everyone and telling ‘em, “you gotta pay up bitches”!

I agree with much of this, but still -- it's awfully early for the Nets, Marks or Tsai to take any kind of victory lap here. The franchise can still be fairly described as a dumpster fire. And I'm a Nets fan, and a supporter of Marks'.

[NetsWorld]

Marks hard balled other teams and bodied KD hard like the bitch he is and checked Kyrie like the ass he is. Gotta give it to Marks for taking back the franchise. KD ain’t going to the Suns unless the Suns give up Booker; that’s how hard the Nets are playing everyone. Nets are toying with everyone and telling ‘em, “you gotta pay up bitches”!

I agree with much of this, but still -- it's awfully early for the Nets, Marks or Tsai to take any kind of victory lap here. The franchise can still be fairly described as a dumpster fire. And I'm a Nets fan, and a supporter of Marks'.

It's a dumpster fire..... FOR NOW.... Because of Kyrie/KD's decisions the past three years. They didn't want to be coached; while they didn't choose Nash, they refused to be coached. Nash has to go for other reasons, but whatever coach the Nets have, Kyrie/KD have to be DEDICATED to a damn system.

[Netaman]

I have no issues if KD decides to sit and to go a step further if I were Tsai I wouldn't let him play unless he rescinds the trade demand and commits to the team.

Cannot risk him getting injured, and if this is the year to possibly tank for a lotto pick may as well tank for a good cause (standing up to someone who has become a basketball terrorist).

[MagicBagley18]

The difference in the simmons situation and the Durant situation if he were to sit out is that Morey waited UNTIL a player like brown was offered for simmons. Brown IS available now. It’s possible tsai does in fact hold out but it’s also incredibly risky.

Philly had a list of guys they’d trade simmons for ; beal,dame, harden, brown etc. Philly wouldn’t budge until one of those guys became gettable. In this scenario you’d be saying no thanks to brown and rolling the dice that something else better comes along. There’s also the fact that Morey and harden have a relationship and it’s very possible Morey knew that harden was unhappy at some point and knew it was in his best interest to wait it out as there was a shot he’d become available.

Much easier Imo for the 2 teams to meet in the middle and be reasonable so the nets get a real good package and a great centerpiece and Celtics get Durant but more likely KD holds out

[Hello Brooklyn]

The difference in the simmons situation and the Durant situation if he were to sit out is that Morey waited UNTIL a player like brown was offered for simmons. Brown IS available now. It’s possible tsai does in fact hold out but it’s also incredibly risky.

Philly had a list of guys they’d trade simmons for ; beal,dame, harden, brown etc. Philly wouldn’t budge until one of those guys became gettable. In this scenario you’d be saying no thanks to brown and rolling the dice that something else better comes along. There’s also the fact that Morey and harden have a relationship and it’s very possible Morey knew that harden was unhappy at some point and knew it was in his best interest to wait it out as there was a shot he’d become available.

Much easier Imo for the 2 teams to meet in the middle and be reasonable so the nets get a real good package and a great centerpiece and Celtics get Durant but more likely KD holds out

There is still no indication KD is willing to sit out.

Youre assuming a lot right now.

Simmons was only 24 when he decided to waste a full season. KD is 34 and probably has 1 or 2 great years left.

[MagicBagley18]

The difference in the simmons situation and the Durant situation if he were to sit out is that Morey waited UNTIL a player like brown was offered for simmons. Brown IS available now. It’s possible tsai does in fact hold out but it’s also incredibly risky.

Philly had a list of guys they’d trade simmons for ; beal,dame, harden, brown etc. Philly wouldn’t budge until one of those guys became gettable. In this scenario you’d be saying no thanks to brown and rolling the dice that something else better comes along. There’s also the fact that Morey and harden have a relationship and it’s very possible Morey knew that harden was unhappy at some point and knew it was in his best interest to wait it out as there was a shot he’d become available.

Much easier Imo for the 2 teams to meet in the middle and be reasonable so the nets get a real good package and a great centerpiece and Celtics get Durant but more likely KD holds out

There is still no indication KD is willing to sit out.

Youre assuming a lot right now.

Simmons was only 24 when he decided to waste a full season. KD is 34 and probably has 1 or 2 great years left.

Yup...it’s a Kevin Durant trade thread it’s the middle of august and we are sports fans. That’s what we do. Assume and project. All of these are assumptions- you assume he’s too old to sit out. Tsai can assume he’ll find better deals. It’s Assuming thinking holding out worked for Morey so it’ll work again.

This is called an nba offseason. Simmons also didn’t have 21 million in game checks before 1 game was played that season either btw I also said “if he were to sit out”

[MrDollarBills]

Durant sitting out isn't some scary prospect, in fact at this point, the team is DARING him to even do it. It will just make him look like a fool that's willing to squander the last year before he hits the wrong side of 30 over reasons that no one knows or at this point, cares about.

He's only hurting himself.

[MagicBagley18]

Durant sitting out isn't some scary prospect, in fact at this point, the team is DARING him to even do it. It will just make him look like a fool that's willing to squander the last year before he hits the wrong side of 30 over reasons that no one knows or at this point, cares about.

He's only hurting himself.

If the nets are daring Kevin Durant to hold out I’d be worried about the teams management....you said it best. if Durant is willing to sit out for reasons unknown for a team who did so much for him how is that going to make teams who are on the fence about trading for him feel any better about doing so?

If he’s not traded I think it’s best for Durant and the nets to come into camp and have him just play ball in a good faith gesture and the team will either win and it will fix itself or even in loses other teams will see at least he’s being a professional and that may ease the apprehension in trading for him.

I’m not sure how his value goes up for the nets to other teams if he sits out

[jibba jones]

Marks still here. Nash still here. That threat got him no closer to a trade. He's running out of threats (especially if he doesn't want to sit out).

He comes that tweet abut Taiwan's independence ...

[vincecarter4pres]

I get not bending to another star trying to run this team over, the new sheriff's in town shtick. But it's playing with fire. And as a fan, I just don't look forward to rooting for these jackasses anymore tbh, most especially KD.

I really wish every party involved would get over themselves and just make the move already.

[MrDollarBills]

Durant sitting out isn't some scary prospect, in fact at this point, the team is DARING him to even do it. It will just make him look like a fool that's willing to squander the last year before he hits the wrong side of 30 over reasons that no one knows or at this point, cares about.

He's only hurting himself.

If the nets are daring Kevin Durant to hold out I’d be worried about the teams management....you said it best. if Durant is willing to sit out for reasons unknown for a team who did so much for him how is that going to make teams who are on the fence about trading for him feel any better about doing so?

If he’s not traded I think it’s best for Durant and the nets to come into camp and have him just play ball in a good faith gesture and the team will either win and it will fix itself or even in loses other teams will see at least he’s being a professional and that may ease the apprehension in trading for him.

I’m not sure how his value goes up for the nets to other teams if he sits out

Let me rephrase that because I was projecting. Now, Nets management probably isn't daring him to hold out, but they aren't worried about that possibility, clearly.

Me as a fan, I don't care if he holds out or not. If he shows up and honors his contract, great. If he doesn't, fine, it just goes to further show you why his value is so shot right now.

Durant's erratic behavior since the end of last season has probably given every team in the league pause honestly. After what Harden did, no one is willing to take the risk of trading for a moody guy, who always seems miserable no matter where he is, might ask for another trade right after that.

[MrDollarBills]

I get not bending to another star trying to run this team over, the new sheriff's in town shtick. But it's playing with fire. And as a fan, I just don't look forward to rooting for these jackasses anymore tbh, most especially KD.

I really wish every party involved would get over themselves and just make the move already.

I'm with you. I would have done the Jaylen Brown trade already but it is what it is.