12-time All-Star Kevin Durant will remain with the Brooklyn Nets for this upcoming season and beyond after coming to an agreement with owner Joe Tsai “to move forward with [their] partnership” despite ongoing trade discussions, per an official statement from the team.
Durant stunned the NBA in late-June when it was made public that he requested the Nets trade him after a disastrous season culminating in a first-round sweep at the hands of the Boston Celtics.
At a separate meeting earlier this month, Durant reiterated his request and issued Tsai an ultimation: trade me or part ways with general manager Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash.
Durant’s demand, however, was ultimately ignored with Marks and Nash both set to remain with the franchise.
Boston, Toronto, Miami and Memphis were among the teams who had reportedly made contact with the Nets in hopes of acquiring the soon-to-be 34-year-old who is under contract until the end of the 2025-26 season.
Kyrie Irving will also remain with the team despite also being involved in trade rumours and contract speculation earlier in the offseason.
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) August 23, 2022
Irving appeared in just 29 games this past season due to not meeting New York City vaccine requirements and averaged 27.4 ppg and 5.8 apg on .592 TS%.
Ben Simmons is also progressing towards his debut with the franchise after being traded to the Nets midseason as a part of a swap for James Harden and sitting out the entire season.
Despite their off-court issues, a core of Durant, Irving, and Simmons offers the Nets a boatload of talent to work with alongside the likes of Seth Curry, Royce O’Neale, Joe Harris, Patty Mills and T.J. Warren.
With the situation now resolved, a number of separate trades and signings are expected to take place in its aftermath.
The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to spend the remainder of the offseason re-tooling their roster after holding out hope that they could acquire Irving whilst Donovan Mitchell’s name has been swirling around in trade rumours for some time now also with the New York Knicks the favourites to land him.
Carmelo Anthony, DeMarcus Cousins, Dennis Schröder, LaMarcus Aldridge, Montrezl Harrell, Blake Griffin, Hassan Whiteside and Dwight Howard are among the big names still unsigned.
The Nets’ championship odds halved upon news of Durant rescinding his trade wish as the team looks to move on from a calamitous season and subsequent offseason.
