Nets superstar Kevin Durant is hopeful to retire with the organization, though he cautioned it’s only his mindset in the present day, as relayed by the Players’ Tribune Text Message Talk Show with former NBA player Dorell Wright.
“As of today, this second, yes…” Durant texted when asked if Brooklyn would be his final stop.
Durant has previously hinted his willingness to step away from the game around age 35, though these comments were made over two years ago. His current contract with the Nets carries into the next two seasons with a $43.9MM player option for the 2022/23 campaign.
Brooklyn is expected to be at the forefront of title contention next season, sporting a core group of Durant, Kyrie Irving, Caris LeVert and others. The team recently hired Hall of Fame point guard Steve Nash as head coach, a decision approved by Durant himself.
“I’m excited about Coach Nash…I think he’s gonna build a fun culture in Brooklyn….having a former player walk the sidelines is always dope to see,” Durant texted.
There’s more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:
- Former Long Island head coach and Nets assistant Will Weaver is picking Brooklyn to come out of the East next year, praising the team’s hiring of Nash and the well-put-together roster, he said on the Wingspan Podcast (as relayed by Chris Milholen of NetsDaily). “How can you not feel like that group is the odds on favorite to win the East next year,” Weaver exclaimed as part of a larger quote. “I think the work that has been going on there for years and the building of equity, processes, and culture will allow someone like Steve [Nash] to step in and inherit a lot of that.”
- Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press examines a number of Pistons-related topics in his latest mailbag, including the pros and cons of a potential Blake Griffin–Buddy Hield trade. Detroit accrued just a 20-46 record on the season, the third-worst in the Eastern Conference and fifth-worst in the league.
- Derek Bodner and Rich Hofmann of The Athletic discuss the Sixers’ hiring of Doc Rivers in their latest Sixers Beat podcast. Rivers has proven he can lead a locker room with star-studded players, previously coaching the likes of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and others. He’s set to inherit a roster featuring Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris and Joel Embiid next season with Philadelphia.
Griffin for Hield? Not paying a subscribe fee.. would make sense if the Kings want to get out of Buddy and Barnes. Bring back Blake and D Rose. Deal D Rose to a 3rd team for a pick.
Kings need to get younger
Griffin is 31 and has two more years contract
I demand much better than this since I want Kings To add 3 first round picks
But it’s 100 times better than Horford 3 years remaining
Blake may only play 30 games per year…so careful what you wish for.
Why wouldn’t I pick the Nets as favs in the East? Their two stars are recovering from severe injuries and one them is a head case that eventually destroys the team around him. Throw in a first year coach with no head coach experience at any level. Other than that you can call them the favorites.
Congrats to LeBron on championship 3.5!
People talk about Nets culture, but trade Dinwiddie, and that culture just left town. What’s left is what Howler said^.
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1,2,3,4. 4.
That Durant thing seems like a total non-story. First, he’s already on his third team, and both of his previous moves were 100% his decision.
Second, he hasn’t played a minute for the Nets yet. What if he hates it, or hates NY or the NY media or the fans?
Third, he’s hedging pretty hard with ‘as of today, this second, yes’. What about tomorrow?
Technically, he is on his 4th franchise since his first year was with the Seattle Supersonics. Their history is considered independent of the Thunder.
IMO
Nets bench value = 9
Heat bench value = 7
Celtics bench value = 3
Lakers Clippers Nuggets and Warriors bench will be 9 each next year
Rockets bench will be 0 because if cost saving
Warriors bench value 9 and the Rockets 0? Unless this is some sort of backward rating where 9 is worse than zero, I can’t think of a single instance of you posting something more utterly ridiculous.
Blake for Buddy makes sense in the fact that’s better than Al Horford but I don’t think it’s the right plan either.
Why not try do something like Steven Adams and a future first for Heild?
Adams is solid and reliable, he’s a great team mate and would be great setting picks for Fox on offence. His deal is only for 2 years and for less money than Horford and Griffin.
OKC would be getting Heild who would add a very good three point to that team, which they desperately needed in the bubble. Plus if they are interested in moving CP3 away they would have SGA able to slot into the 1 and Heild at the 2 with Schroder off the bench.
Maybe even make it a 3 team deal.
Knicks: CP3, 2 second round picks (kings)
OKC: Heild, Randle, Gibson, Knox
Kings: Adams, Ntilikina, second round pick (OKC)
OKC would have a solid young core and decent team plus all those first round picks.
Knicks get their star PG they have been after and it doesn’t cost them a pick plus they get some seconds.
KD is a hired gun. He’s going to go to whatever team Lebron is on when he’s done with the Nets.
BRK does on paper look the best team in the East, no doubt about it, all fans can see that… but they have to put it together on the court, so we will see in time.
This year PHI had the best roster in the East by far, & it didn’t go so well for them, right?
Blake to SAC is a most awful idea, what about Bagley! Horford or Adams is good, they don’t need a PF at all!
Durant is 32 and coming off the worst injury in basketball. Lets see how he comes back first
Rudy Gay is the best comp, same position. Gay probably would have been an All Star in the East at least once or twice in his career. But hes basically a role player since the injury. KD can shoot lights out, but those days of him driving and flying to the basket to score are gone. It took me 4 years to recover fully from my achillies injury. These guys come back 9 to 12 months later and try to play at the highest level, theres the potential for other injuries like Boogie. Anyone that has had this injury is 1/2 the player they once were and he is the 2nd oldest player to have the injury in the NBA and try to return that I know of. Gay was 30, Brand 28, Boogie 26, and Matthew’s 28. Kobe was 34/35.
Worst case for kd would be dirks game from here on out.
Durant will always be known as soft.
Pistons should move Griffin. They should be in full rebuild mode. Move Rose too. I’m really interested to see what they do with Woods. Now with Thibs as coach of Knicks. All the Woods rumors and stories have stopped. They had scouted him thoroughly till end of season. I wonder if they still want him. He’d still be a good addition. Considering Portis, Taj contracts not guaranteed.
In my opinion, Durant was the best player in the world before his injury. I saw a a 50% KD light up Kawhi and Siakiam Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals. 11pts in 12 min.
6’11, 7’6 wingspan, with skills like a guard that can pull up from 40.