Monday night in the bowels of Barclays Center, Kevin Durant brushed past reporters without stopping to make statements or answer questions.
The only question that matters is what he thought of the Nets’ decision to trade his pal Kyrie Irving. And will he also force his way out?
The tremor-inducing trade that sent Irving to Dallas has placed competitors such as the Suns and Celtics on high alert.
Durant alert.
Last summer, it took the Brooklyn Nets two months to convince Kevin Durant to rescind his trade request and remain with the team. This time, they have just until Thursday at 3 p.m. to present a convincing case before the trade deadline. If there is one to be made at all.
“We wouldn’t even bring that up in discussion. Coach Jacque Vaughn stated that Durant’s mindset and desire to remain were primarily discussed in terms of the game.
“I won’t make it difficult. As previously stated, I will coach both the group in front of me and the group in the locker room. This will not change. I will not conjecture and enter Kevin’s head in any way. Not even going to attempt it. I’ll be coaching this group. I am looking forward to teaching him and to winning.”
The Nets fell to the Clippers 124-116 on Monday despite the absences of Durant, Ben Simmons, and Seth Curry, as well as new players Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finwiddie-Smith.
The million-dollar question, indeed, the billion-dollar question, is whether they can persuade Durant that they can win, as in hoist a trophy.
“At the end of the day, Kevin wants to win,” Vaughn stated prior to Monday’s game, attempting to both sidestep the matter and quell any panic. “This has always been our objective.
“He desires to win at shootaround and every game of the week. This is why he enjoys playing and why he desires to play 82 games. This will serve as our holy grail. We will continue to attempt to field a winning team, and unless I have reason to be concerned, I will conduct business as normal.
Despite their obvious disorganization, the Nets’ talent made them a contender. Prior to Irving’s departure, Brooklyn had the fourth-best odds to win the NBA championship. Irving previously declared he would never leave Durant. These odds have now dropped to tenth place.
Durant, who is presently out with an MCL sprain, did not sign up for this sort of first-round-and-out mediocrity in 2019.
Jacque Vaughn is attempting to maintain the Nets’ concentration following the Kyrie Irving trade.
Corey Sipkin, New York Post
While the Lakers and Suns made concrete proposals for Irving, the Nets opted for the Dallas deal because they required high-caliber players rather than future assets. This was another attempt to appease Durant, whose manager Rich Kleiman had been silent up until this point.
“Our expectations do not alter for us. We will release a product that is competitive and aggressive. “There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it,” stated Vaughn. “We have an incredible ownership group and bunch of people who want to win. That remains unchanged.”
Durant requested a trade on June 30 due to worries about Brooklyn’s ability to win a championship. During a meeting in Los Angeles on August 23, club owner Joe Tsai and general manager Sean Marks convinced him to withdraw the proposal.
Marks was previously uninterested in a Suns offer focused around Deandre Ayton, but Phoenix is now showing renewed interest. According to ESPN, the Celtics are as well.
Durant would bring back a king’s ransom in the first year of a four-year, $198 million max deal extension, but the Nets, who have been in talks with their star, want to never see it.
Before Monday’s game, Vaughn stated, “My conversation with Kev was primarily about [Saturday’s] game and how our team rallied to win.” “He was thrilled about the way our men played, particularly Cam Thomas. Therefore, our chats were primarily focused on this topic, and that was essentially all.”
Durant has been out since he sprained his MCL in Miami on January 8, with an update on his condition due on Tuesday.
“Once we hear from the doctor about what he’s been doing and what’s next for him, we’ll provide you with a comprehensive overview,” Vaughn added.
»Jacque Vaughn attempting to maintain Nets’ focus despite Kevin Durant’s questionable status«
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