Folks around the NBA apparently are hoping Kevin Durant takes a page out of Ben Simmons' book.
Durant reportedly has asked the Brooklyn Nets for a trade. Thus far that request has not been met, as the Nets understandably are not going to move him for pennies on the dollar. They seem amenable to trading him for the right, if exorbitant, price, but they also seem equally willing to just keep him.
Depending on how hellbent Durant is on getting out of Brooklyn, he could do what Simmons did with the Philadelphia 76ers and just refuse to play. That ultimately got Simmons sent to the Nets, but not after months of holding out. That decision also permanently impacted the reputation of Simmons, who didn't play in a single game last season.
Still, on his podcast “The Lowe Post”, ESPN NBA analyst Zach Lowe said that’s the outcome some around the league are hoping plays out with Durant.
“I can tell you for sure," Lowe said, "There are governors around the league who are rooting for – if the Nets don’t get what they want, and Kevin Durant doesn’t want to play – rooting for the Nets to be like ‘That’s cool. We’re going to be bad if we trade you, we're going to be bad if you sit out, just sit out and you can’t waste a year if you want. You’re 34, we’re not trading you until we get what we want, and if this is gonna be your response we’re going to be bad either way.’
"There are governors that are definitely kind of, if he comes back, rooting for that outcome. At this point, I’m throwing my hands up in the air. I don’t know what’s going to happen."
Durant still has four years left on his contract, so if he actually wants to play but the Nets can’t find the right trade partner, he might have to just make the best of his situation in Brooklyn.
At this point, things seem to be trending in the direction of the Nets just giving things a try next season with Durant, Simmons and Kyrie Irving. For all parties involved, that might be the best short-term path.
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