Kevin Durant is still a member of the Brooklyn Nets despite having requested a trade over a month back and it seems he has decided to force the team into making a decision. Durant had a meeting with owner Joe Tsai this past weekend and reports indicate that he gave Tsai an ultimatum that GM Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash have to be fired if he is stay in Brooklyn.
A few hours after the report emerged, Tsai issued a response on Twitter, where he said the team will be sticking with their front office and coaching staff.
NBA Twitter had a lot to say on the matter, as some praised this strong stance that Tsai has taken while others were not happy that they were choosing Marks and Nash over Durant.
"Imagine choosing Steve Nash and Whoever the GM is instead of a top 3 player in the game"
"You realize that Marks and Nash suck right?"
"The players have the FAN’s support. Choose wisely."
"People don’t understand basketball is a business … getting rid of kd is the best decision from a business perspective… I love kd but after all this he deserves to be let go … people bashing Nash when he never even had a fair chance to coach the team …"
"Keeping unproven GM and rookie head coach who have won nothing as opposed to keeping Kevin Durant is in the best interest of the Brooklyn Nets "
"STAND FIRM, JOE. NO PLAYER IS ABOVE THE BROOKLYN NETS! NOT EVEN YOU, @KDTrey5"
"Right decision. You can’t let KD control stuff when he’ll still want out in a year or two. Got Jarrett Allen traded because he wanted his washed up buddy Deandre Jordan to play Center, got the coach fired for Nash, and Marks let him and Kyrie call the shots"
"if u trade KD you’re not making a decision in the best interest of the Brooklyn nets and that’s a fact."
"KD is going to the Boston Celtics, Kyrie Irving will be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers"
"Joe I mean this, you just lost everyone in Barclays"
"Publicly telling KD to get fcked is hilarious"
"Keeping the best player in franchise history would be in the best interest of the Brooklyn Nets."
"Welp, this only means one thing. We will see KD in a different uniform next season."
"As a lifelong Nets fan I wholeheartedly agree. We cannot allow a single player to control our franchise. Principle still has to count for something. With his age and injury concerns, it’s time to look forward anyway. #NetsWorld"
"Good for Joe Tsai. The Nets let Durant make decisions for 3 years, & it led to one playoff series win & one controversy after another. Why let him keep making more? He clearly doesn’t know how to run a team."
"Definitely a case of “fool me once shame on you, fool me 2,547 times shame on me” stance taking here by the Nets. I find it funny that NOW they draw the line."
"That means that KD is good as gone if Joe Tsai is rocking with his staff."
"Choosing Steve Nash *the coach* over a top 10 player ever cements your first ballot Hall of Fame Airhead induction"
"this is the type of ownership real new yorkers crave. I’m a nets fan now, thanks Joe"
"You deserve props for not letting 1 player dictate everything. KD ain’t the victim in all this. He chose to go to the Nets and soon as things get tough, he runs from the grind. Acting like a diva."
"Interesting. How is it in the team’s best interest to retain a coach with ZERO experience, lost 11 straight games and got SWEPT in the playoffs???? Please do Brooklyn a favor and sell the team"
Some very strong opinions right there and no matter how Tsai would have approached this, there was always going to be pushback of some sort. He chose to stand by the people he can trust, as opposed to making decisions that would appease Durant, which has led the team nowhere the last couple of years.
So, KD is on his way out and the Celtics do have a viable package to offer in a trade. If and when he leaves, Kyrie Irving is also headed to the exit door, as the team has no interest in keeping him Durant isn't on the team. The Lakers would be the obvious destination then and we'll see if things do pan out that way in the coming weeks.
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