heres the full article form The Athletic ................... part that makes me laugh is Kyrie wasnt offere the max due to the uncertainty of KDs status, BOOM ! ( thats how I read it at least )
Full article from the athletic:
In a face-to-face meeting with Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai over the weekend, All-NBA star Kevin Durant reiterated his trade request and informed Tsai that he needs to choose between Durant or the pairing of general manager Sean Marks and coach Steve Nash, sources tell The Athletic.
Durant stated he does not have faith in the team’s direction, sources said.
Durant and Tsai spoke in London on Saturday and sources described the discussion as transparent and professional. The meeting took place a year to the day that Durant agreed to a four-year, $198 million contract extension with the Nets and barely over a month after his initial trade request on June 30. He is now entering the first season of that extension.
The Nets have direct knowledge of the reasons behind Durant’s request, sources said, and understand that the 12-time All-Star will continue to be resolute in his stance. Durant is believed to want a change of scenery heading into his 16th season.
Across the league, people have wondered whether Durant could miss training camp should no trade develop.
After being swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Nets have been surrounded by uncertainty. In a mid-May news conference, Marks called for the organization to regain its culture.
Amid the unknown status of Durant, Kyrie Irving and the Nets were unable to come to terms on a long-term deal. Irving ultimately opted into his $36.5 million player option for next season, committing to Brooklyn for 2022-23.
This summer, the Nets believe they have improved the roster and have a championship-ready team. The Nets traded for Royce O’Neale, signed T.J. Warren and brought back Patty Mills and Nic Claxton while awaiting the full returns of three-time All-Star Ben Simmons and Joe Harris. Brooklyn’s front office, led by Marks, has set a high price on the Durant market while constructing a team that gives the organization confidence in its ability to contend should the team bring the roster, as is, into training camp.
The Nets are incredibly high on Simmons’ return to play following his recovery from back surgery in May, viewing him as a perfect complement around Durant and Irving.
After Durant’s trade request on June 30, the Nets engaged in conversations with almost every team in the league, according to sources. But because the Nets have set a sky-high threshold for the return the franchise wants for Durant — a two-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, a former league MVP and 12-time All-Star — teams have not yet been able to meet the asking price.
The Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat remain the most significant candidates to acquire Durant, sources said, with Boston’s package centering around All-Star forward Jaylen Brown seen as a viable deal. Tsai and the Nets have made clear privately that they will take every last asset from a team that trades for Durant, sources said.
