As Kevin Durant and the Nets enter the following stage of their stalemate, there’s one necessary element to bear in mind.
As a lot as either side would hate to confess it, they want one another and can be worse off within the aftermath of a messy divorce.
If Durant will get his want and is traded, meaning a workforce gave Brooklyn a bundle past its wildest goals, a bundle that far supersedes the grift the Utah Jazz pulled off within the Rudy Gobert deal. As a reminder, Gobert is a premier defensive participant with a restricted offensive ability set, and the Jazz received 4 draft picks, a decide swap, 4 position gamers and 2022 first-round decide Walker Kessler within the deal.
If that’s what the Jazz received for Gobert, a one-dimensional participant, you may perceive why the Nets need the kitchen sink, the range, the island, the fully-stocked fridge and the eating room desk in a deal for Durant.
But each contender – and potential Durant suitor – is aware of that assembly Brooklyn’s asking worth means successfully gutting their roster, and gutting the roster means surrendering the requisite depth historical past has confirmed is important to contend for a championship. Few groups can give up an All-Star, two position gamers and vital draft compensation and nonetheless have a roster that may bang with the league’s heavies. The Boston Celtics are one such workforce, however they must quit each Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart in a Durant deal, and Durant reportedly solely desires to be traded to the Celtics if Smart is on the roster. The New Orleans Pelicans are one other workforce and the Daily News reported their curiosity in a Durant deal, nevertheless it stays unclear if they’re prepared to commerce star ahead Brandon Ingram.
And if the Nets are in a position to pull off a deal, meaning they’ll have traded among the finest gamers on the planet for a participant a number of tiers beneath him, plus position gamers. It means after years of promoting their fan base on championships, they may have willingly pulled an about face within the title of “taking back control” of their franchise.
It can be unforgivable, and it could firmly take away the Nets from championship rivalry, as a result of it was Durant’s greatness – not Steve Nash’s teaching nor Sean Marks’ managerial abilities – that pressured the eventual 2021 NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks to Game 7 with out Kyrie Irving and with a one-legged James Harden.
It is Durant’s greatness – not Nash’s teaching abilities nor Marks’ managerial prowess – that offers the Nets an opportunity to win each recreation when he’s on the ground. Case in level: The Nets tanked from first to tenth within the Eastern Conference when Durant missed a month and a half of motion with a sprained MCL final season. Irving was accessible for the street video games throughout that stretch, and Harden, although disgruntled, nonetheless performed in a lot of these video games.
Not solely would transferring on from Durant take away the Nets from championship rivalry, however transferring him for one of many subpar packages accessible would set the Nets again one other 4 to 5 years minimal, a decade at worst. It would imply they traded D’Angelo Russell, Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie and Jarrett Allen for a workforce constructed round Ben Simmons – contemporary off again surgical procedure – and one other participant of his caliber. It would imply they so desperately need autonomous management of their group that management has supplanted successful as Nets proprietor Joe Tsai’s solely faith.
The Nets would not dominate headlines and airwaves. That tide is already shifting with the Knicks’ acquisition of Jalen Brunson and pursuit of star guard Donovan Mitchell. In reality, the Knicks look useful today in comparison with the Nets, who would definitely not be perennial championship contenders.
That ship sails the minute Durant leaves city.
Yet the Nets don’t wish to bend the knee, and Durant is bored with the established order. Durant instructed Nets proprietor Joe Tsai he has to fireplace each Marks and Nash if he’s not going to commerce him. Once experiences broke, Tsai tweeted assist for each the entrance workplace and training employees and stated he’ll do “what is in the best interest of the Brooklyn Nets.”
Good enterprise is within the Nets’ greatest curiosity, and enterprise hasn’t boomed extra since Durant arrived in Brooklyn. A cheerful Durant, a motivated Irving, and a wholesome Ben Simmons can be higher enterprise than the Nets have seen for the reason that Nets pounded the Chicago Bulls final season in one of many solely video games Irving, Durant and Harden performed as a trio.
Despite Durant’s gripe, Marks has confirmed greater than succesful as a basic supervisor and can go down as an all-time snub for Executive of the Year – even when a few of his selections are chargeable for Durant’s present dissatisfaction with the franchise. If emotions may be mended, Durant will return to a reliable 3-and-D wing in Royce O’Neale, who Marks acquired for a first-round decide. Durant can even return to further scoring assist: Marks signed famous bucket-getter TJ Warren on a minimal deal, although a nagging stress fracture in his left foot has stored him off the ground for the previous two seasons.
But Marks additionally employed Nash, who had no prior teaching expertise by any means earlier than assuming management of a workforce that made its championship expectations public. And for these questioning why Durant gave Nash a vow of assist throughout his exit interview after Ime Udoka outclassed him in Boston’s first-round sweep of Brooklyn final season, Durant additionally instructed the media he had nothing to do with Harden getting traded to the Nets.
Nash additionally instructed the media Harden wouldn’t be getting traded hours earlier than the commerce to the Sixers broke. Players and coaches aren’t all the time clear when discussing sensitive basketball topics.
In reality, that is essentially the most clear it’s been: Durant telling Tsai he desires each Marks and Nash gone if he’s going to be completely happy staying in Brooklyn. And if the Nets attempt to pressure Durant to report back to camp with out doing one thing to appease him, they threat this already messy scenario turning into fully untenable.
When Jimmy Butler’s commerce request from Minnesota went unfulfilled, he began cursing out teammates, coaches and staffers in observe. When the Rockets failed to maneuver James Harden in a well timed method, he confirmed as much as coaching camp off form, and the primary probability he received with a microphone, he instructed anybody who would pay attention that he didn’t wish to be in Houston. Durant has already confirmed he’s prepared to escalate this case additional to get what he desires.
That’s not usually the best way franchises deal with their stars. It didn’t take lengthy for the 76ers to start doing Harden’s bidding. They created a snug surroundings for him earlier than he ever arrived by hiring his former Rockets GM Daryl Morey. And this offseason alone, the Sixers signed his two mates PJ Tucker and Danuel House to contracts. Philly may put his stylist on retainer subsequent.
And but the Nets fired Durant’s capturing coach Adam Harrington and performed hardball with Irving, the one purpose Durant is in Brooklyn, throughout contract negotiations.
It’s no marvel he requested a commerce, which speaks volumes given his greatest probability at successful huge nonetheless stays in Brooklyn.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com