KD Staying in Brooklyn: What’s Next?
It would appear for now that the KD saga has reached its conclusion.
Initially, Kevin Durant listed the Phoenix Suns and the Miami Heat as his preferred destinations should the Brooklyn Nets decide to trade the two-time Finals MVP. That was before the opening of the 2022 free agency period.
Factor in Kyrie Irving’s apparent desire to play in LA and the Brooklyn Nets have had quite the offseason dilemma on their hands the last few weeks.
Since then, various trade rumours have popped up on social media with teams like the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, and even the Golden State Warriors emerging as possible landing spots for KD.
Recent reports even suggested the Memphis Grizzlies had potentially joined the KD sweepstakes as well.
Unfortunately, no trade ever materialized as Brooklyn’s asking price was too high, and teams involved appeared hesitant to give up assets for a player who comes with the kind of baggage that Durant does.
It also doesn’t help that KD reiterated his trade request in an attempt to force Nets Team Owner Joe Tsai to choose between trading his star player or firing Coach Steve Nash and General Manager Sean Marks.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere the Nets and KD agreed to move forward together in their quest to “bring a championship to Brooklyn”.
KD Remains a Net
“We have agreed to move forward with our partnership. We are focusing on basketball, with our collective goal in mind: build a lasting franchise to bring a championship to Brooklyn,” Nets General Manager Sean Marks’ stated after a meeting in Los Angeles.
The good news is that Marks and Nash get to keep their posts (for now), and more importantly, Kevin Durant is indeed staying in Brooklyn.
The statement was released following a meeting between Tsai, Nash, Durant, and Durant’s manager Rich Kleiman in LA last Monday, where the pact was supposedly agreed to.
With KD apparently staying put for the 2022-2023 season, the Nets can now move forward with their preparations for the upcoming campaign after two disappointing runs with KD and Kyrie Irving.
Speaking of Kyrie Irving, whose name has been involved in trade rumours since the opening of the 2022 free agency period, it would now appear as though the Nets also plan to keep the former NBA champion as well. Reports indicate Irving has been holding a workout with teammates and constructive dialogues with the Brooklyn organization to try to mend bridges.
This development hasn’t gone unnoticed by other NBA franchises who were keenly watching the drama in Brooklyn play out. Joe Tsai stood his ground, backed Nash and Marks, and eventually, Durant came around. An increasingly rare outcome in the player empowerment era the league currently finds itself in.
Where Does Brooklyn Go From Here?
If the Nets can rely on a healthy duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the expectation is that you will contend for a championship. Add Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Joe Harris, and Nix Claxton to the mix as well and you have a good core of players to back up the KD-Irving duo.
So how far can the Nets go next season?
If you ask ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, the answer to the question depends one one thing: health.
“Let’s assume health and they are all in. Playing full time, at the minimum, they’re going to the conference finals. They’ll probably be in the (NBA) Finals,” he remarked.
Either way, Brooklyn fans can now breathe for the first time all summer with KD and possibly Kyrie staying for another run. But if the experiment begins to go sideways this fall, don’t be at all surprised if Irving or Durant’s names become the talk of the town once more ahead of the 2023 NBA trade deadline.
-Iggy Gonzales