Durant's lack of confidence in Nets coaching staff asks owner to choose between keeping him or coach

2022-08-09 14:25

Durant's lack of confidence in Nets coaching staff asks owner to choose between keeping him or coach


According to Sham Charania of The Athletic Sports Reporter, Kevin Durant, the giant who made waves in the Brooklyn Nets and the trade market, reiterated his request for a trade to leave the Nets today, and Expressed the reasons for leaving the team, and even publicly issued an ultimatum asking the Nets owner to choose between replacing him or replacing the head coach and general manager.


Durant, 33, will be entering his 16th season in the league next season and remains one of the team's core and top scorers. Durant missed the 2019-20 season with a torn Achilles tendon and has been limited to a limited number of games since his return. In 2020, the Nets fired Kenny Atkinson, who coached Durant and Kyrie Irving, and hired Steve Nash as the team's new head coach. Rebuild the core of the lineup. However, in Nash's 2 seasons, the Nets did not help the Nets reach the Eastern Conference semifinals.


Durant averaged 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists in 55 games last season while shooting 51.8 percent overall and 38.3 percent from three. Due to injury problems, the general has only played in 90 regular-season games for the Nets in the past two seasons.


However, the Nets experienced a series of turbulent events last season, including general Irving’s refusal to be vaccinated and suspended, Durant injured, partner Harden leaving the team, etc., and in the first round of the playoffs by Boston Kai After the Celtics swept out, the Nets are planning major changes to their roster this summer. Nets general manager Sean Marks and head coach Nash believed that Irving's independent character seriously affected the team and the availability of the team, so they refused to provide him with a maximum salary extension contract, and finally let Irving choose to exercise 36.9 million. Dollar player option and wait to be traded in the meantime or become a free agent after next season.


Durant, who was a partner, was quite dissatisfied with the way the Nets' top management dealt with Irving and made a trade request to the team in June. The current four-year, $198 million max contract extension signed by Durant and the Nets last year will end in the 2025-2026 season. Such a high-paying contract increases the difficulty of the transaction. Although the Nets tried to retain Durant, Durant's intention to leave has been decided, and he recently held a face-to-face meeting with the owner of the Nets, Cai Chongxin. During the meeting, Durant admitted that he had no confidence in the top management of the Nets and the coaching staff. At the same time, he also gave the rebounds a solution to retain him, that is, between Durant, general manager Max and head coach Nash. out the choice.


Durant's meaning is very clear, it can be seen that Durant, Nash and Max already have differences that are difficult to reconcile and cannot work together. However, after Durant showed his direction, owner Cai Chongxin decisively announced his support for general manager Max and head coach Nash on social media. This means that Durant's departure from the Nets will be an irreversible fact. It is reported that the Nets are actively looking for a considerable return on the sale of Durant in the trade market, but as of today, other teams interested in Durant, including the Celtics, have failed to propose to the Nets. match the transaction price.