Kevin Durant trade still likely?

The Kevin Durant drama is never over. That, at least, is how other NBA teams are viewing the Nets’ announcement last week that Durant has rescinded his trade request and “we have agreed to move forward with our partnership.”   “I think the Nets simply told him, ‘There’s not a deal we’re happy with, and we’re not just going to give you away,'” an Eastern Conference GM told FOX Sports. “I think he’ll still get moved by the trade deadline if it doesn’t go well. That may have even been part of the deal, a soft agreement that they’ll move him if it’s not working.”
Source: FOX Sports @ FoxSports.com

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
NBA free agents: Heat free agent Markieff Morris joins Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving with Nets. sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… – 1:35 PM Steve Bulpett @SteveBHoop
NEW at Heavy Sports…
NBA execs examine the Kevin Durant drama and assign blame.
Why his ploy was never going to work.
bit.ly/3AYADY9 – 1:26 PM Jeff Goodman @GoodmanHoops
Is the Kevin Durant Trade Drama Really Over? + Gallinari & Holmgren Injuries | Bob Ryan & Jeff Goodman Podcast | Powered by @AthleticGreens twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1… – 11:45 AM Ric Bucher @RicBucher
Why NBA execs believe a Kevin Durant trade is still likely foxsports.com/stories/nba/wh… – 11:20 AM Nick Wright @getnickwright
I’ve been itching to get back on TV, BUT between KD staying with the Nets AND Jimmy G staying with the 49ers (as a backup, and with a pay cut, but still), it’s not the worst thing in the world to not have to deal with @Chris Broussard for another week!
@FTFonFS1 back soon… – 7:35 PM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
We’re back with new episodes of @FrontOfficeShow! Vacation is over for @Trevor_Lane & I and we catch up on KD pulling back his trade request, Lakers/Jazz trade, injuries to Danilo Gallinari & Gary Harris, CHA PG hunting and more! Watch, like and sub below!
youtu.be/AlBvB5rGo-A – 4:53 PM Eric Pincus @EricPincus
Latest @BleacherReport Can the Brooklyn Nets and Kevin Durant Maintain the Peace?
bleacherreport.com/articles/10046… – 3:56 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Most PPG per playoff game (minimum 5 games):
Game 1 — MJ (34.0)
Game 2 — MJ (33.3)
Game 3 — MJ (34.2)
Game 4 — MJ (33.2)
Game 5 — MJ (33.1)
Game 6 — AI (33.4)
Game 7 — KD (36.2) pic.twitter.com/iOCdNQoKij – 3:22 PM J. Kyle Mann @jkylemann
did not wake up today expecting to see KD backhanding olden polynice – 11:20 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Was Kevin Durant ever even close to being traded? nba.nbcsports.com/2022/08/28/was… – 1:09 PM Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
“I did not take those moments for granted.”
With Kevin Durant returning to Brooklyn, Sarah Kustok could not be more excited to see Durant stay in a Nets jersey. pic.twitter.com/JBhcak6Oe8 – 10:32 AM StatMuse @statmuse
Seasons averaging 30+ PPG:
8 — Jordan
7 — Steph, KD, LeBron combined
@NBAMuse24 pic.twitter.com/THRZUlg1UP – 7:37 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Kevin Durant’s trade demand forced #Suns GM James Jones to determine if it’s necessary to drastically change the roster to stay in title contention or trust the current team he has in place will once again reach the playoffs and compete for a championship. https://t.co/2vTmZhC8tg pic.twitter.com/bH5Yy5HlH4 – 5:07 PM Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets have decided to “move forward with their partnership”.
2022 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee George Karl shares his thoughts with Justin Termine & Eddie Johnson pic.twitter.com/SYBAMmuB6J – 4:03 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Kevin Durant trade demand forced Phoenix #Suns to look in mirror azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral – 1:18 PM Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Kevin Durant will stay in Brooklyn!
Antonio Daniels tells Rick Kamla why he isn’t surprised by the news. pic.twitter.com/TAUMuCWAPY – 12:30 PM

More on this storyline

The failure of KD to achieve either of those goals is being blamed around the NBA on … KD. “The guy who miscalculated was Kevin Durant, because he took that four-year deal,” said a league exec. “He didn’t take a page out of LeBron’s book and take a shorter-term deal. LeBron’s bet on himself, and that’s kept him in a leverage position with his team. With all his teams really. “You can put on pressure when you have an opt-out coming up soon, but it’s a lot harder to scare your team when that team is sitting there holding your signed four-year contract.” -via Heavy.com / August 30, 2022 One former coach told Heavy Sports that Durant essentially sabotaged himself. “The moment a player comes out and mouths those famous words: ‘Hey, man, get me the up out of here,’ he just discounted himself,” he said. “He just hurt not only his prospect for a trade happening quickly, but he has just put his franchise in a position of losing leverage, because people think, ‘Well, I get a fire sale price, because that guy has already indicated he wants out of there.’ -via Heavy.com / August 30, 2022 But even under the best of circumstances, without free agency and the prospect of a sign-and-trade, the prospect of finding a fair deal for a player of Durant’s caliber was dim. “It IS difficult to trade superstars,” said a ranking front office member. “And we’re not just talking about an All-Star. We’re not just talking about a Hall of Famer. We’re talking about somebody who’s in the top 75 in the history of the NBA — and, to some people, a top 10 guy in the history of the NBA. That’s a difficult thing to extract proper value from.” -via Heavy.com / August 30, 2022