1 00:00:14,519 --> 00:00:20,559 What is a fellow thermonuclear a efforts. I Am Damn for Valley, coming 2 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:25,600 at you with Surprise Surprise, a podcast about the latest Kevin Durants. Before 3 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,960 we get started, just the usual reminder to please remember to hit that subscribe 4 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:32,880 button on YouTube, like and comment on every video. That helps the algorithm 5 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:35,399 love us back, and it also means the world if you subscribe. If 6 00:00:35,399 --> 00:00:38,520 this is your first time checking us out at your podcast player, please subscribe 7 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,719 wherever you're getting your podcast, download, download every episode, join our discord 8 00:00:42,759 --> 00:00:46,560 the links to which are in the podcast and the YouTube descriptions. And if 9 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,200 you've done all those things, word of mouth helps the ton. Tell people 10 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:53,039 about us, recommend us, retweet our promos on Twitter, or just inform 11 00:00:53,079 --> 00:00:57,520 people who you know like basketball that they can find some pleasantly sub mediocre national 12 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:03,799 NBA analysis at Hardwood Knox. So another Kevin Durant update, which it's interesting 13 00:01:03,799 --> 00:01:08,959 because the article coming from the Athletic sham Sharania drops Monday afternoon and there's like 14 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:12,280 an update within like the first three lines. Then the rest is just like 15 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:17,920 the same gabbledegook that we've we've heard all along. Joe Si did weigh in 16 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:19,920 though later on which I'm glad I didn't rush to record a podcast on Monday, 17 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:23,799 I was taking a I want to call it a much deserved breather, 18 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:26,599 because I don't want to make it seem like I work hard than anybody else. 19 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,840 But I needed, I need to take a little bit of extra time 20 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,079 off. But let's get to the sham SHRANTI a portion he reports, and 21 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:36,000 a face to face meeting with Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Sai over the weekend. 22 00:01:36,079 --> 00:01:40,480 All NBA star Kevin Durant reiterated his trade request and informed SI that he needs 23 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:44,719 to choose between Durant or the pairing of general manager Sean Marks and Steve Nash. 24 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:48,280 Sources with direct knowledge of the meeting tell The Athletic Durant stated he does 25 00:01:48,319 --> 00:01:51,760 not have faith in the team's direction. Sources said Durant and SI spoke in 26 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:57,599 London on Saturday, and sources describe the discussion as transparent and professional. The 27 00:01:57,599 --> 00:02:00,439 meeting took place a year to the day that Durant agrees to a four year, 28 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:04,120 one ninety eight million dollars contract extension with the Nets, and barely a 29 00:02:04,159 --> 00:02:08,479 month after his initial trade request. So fast forward like six hours or whatever, 30 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:13,159 and Joshi goes on Twitter and says, our front office and coaching staff 31 00:02:13,159 --> 00:02:15,319 have my support. We will make decisions in the best interests of the Brooklyn 32 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:22,439 Nets. This is Let's operate under the assumption that this report is verbatim, 33 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:29,080 word for word, absolutely true. There are like maybe two or three people 34 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:34,400 in the league that could have this conversation with in this exact situation and not 35 00:02:34,479 --> 00:02:37,639 be just laughed out of the room. Kevin Durant happens to be one of 36 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,560 them. I did see follow up reports from people that I would not consider 37 00:02:40,599 --> 00:02:46,960 a trustworthy source mentioned that Durant and Kyrie never really wanted Steve Nash in the 38 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:52,759 fold and that they're rightfully angry. I find let's even buy into that Kevin 39 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:57,000 Durant signed his four year, one nine eight million dollars extension knowing Sean Marks 40 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,719 was in charge the Brooklyn Nets front office knowing Steve Nash was the head coach 41 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:04,879 of the Nets. And Durant also came out at the end of this season 42 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:07,439 I think it was, and said something to the effect that Steve Nash should 43 00:03:07,479 --> 00:03:13,199 be back because look at like he's been dealt essentially a crazy hand, and 44 00:03:14,319 --> 00:03:19,120 the entire organization has been dealt a crazy hand and it's just for him to 45 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:21,919 now flip flop to will now you have to get rid of Steve Nash or 46 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,479 Sean Marks, who, by the way, did just sign an extension this 47 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:29,680 offseason. We have not received information or even confirmation as far as I know, 48 00:03:29,719 --> 00:03:32,800 about how much that extension was worth and the exact terms of it. 49 00:03:34,039 --> 00:03:38,599 But like that already happened. So now you're coming with this demand or ultimatum 50 00:03:38,639 --> 00:03:43,879 after that step has been taken, and also when you kind of voice your 51 00:03:43,879 --> 00:03:47,879 support for Steve Nash already. And I refuse to believe that the Nets, 52 00:03:49,039 --> 00:03:53,479 specifically when it comes to Steve Nash did not weigh with Kevin Durant would have 53 00:03:53,599 --> 00:03:57,599 wanted into the fold just because he and Nash had a pre existing relationship dating 54 00:03:57,599 --> 00:04:00,759 back to when Nash worked with him while he was with the Golden State Warriors. 55 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:02,680 And so if Kevin Durant had a different choice as a head coach, 56 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:08,639 yeah, okay, fine, but I doubt that Steve Nash didn't have his 57 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:12,639 support coming in. That's not a hire when you're talking about hiring someone who 58 00:04:12,879 --> 00:04:17,480 quote unquote skip the line. Since he didn't have all this pre existing assistant 59 00:04:17,519 --> 00:04:20,360 coach head Spears, didn't spend all this time on the sidelines like other teams. 60 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:25,240 You don't make a higher like that in a situation such as this without 61 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:29,399 taking into an account what Kevin Durant wants. And so there are just levels 62 00:04:29,439 --> 00:04:33,360 to the hilarity here of what Kevin Durant appears to be asking for. There's 63 00:04:33,439 --> 00:04:38,120 also the slant though, that this is the Nets leaking it out so that 64 00:04:38,199 --> 00:04:41,759 when they do trade Kevin Durant for less than what it's reported they wanted, 65 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:44,079 they're able to save face and just say, oh, well, he probably 66 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:46,800 wasn't going to show up to training camp. He wanted us to fire our 67 00:04:46,959 --> 00:04:51,199 entire organization. Could it be that maybe I find it it's there. I'm 68 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:58,360 just trying to like the audacity of Durant to go in and request this is 69 00:04:58,439 --> 00:05:00,879 just melt my mind mind a little bit, and maybe it shouldn't when it 70 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:08,000 comes to this NETS situation. And I think one of the other things to 71 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:12,199 really keep in mind here, let's not lose sight of the plot of the 72 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:15,120 real reason that the Nets have imploded, and that's because Kyrie Irving is Kyrie 73 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:19,560 Irving. If Kyrie Irving gets the COVID nineteen vaccine, We're probably not having 74 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:26,000 any of these discussions. Does does James Harden ever request a trade? Does 75 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:29,360 Kevin Durant ever request a trade? Certainly not. What does last season look 76 00:05:29,399 --> 00:05:31,959 like for the Nets at all? If Kyrie Irving is a you know, 77 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:35,600 a full time player, if he's available on a night tonight basis for them, 78 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:41,199 that is the person who everyone here deserves. Blame Kevin Durant for hitching 79 00:05:41,199 --> 00:05:43,639 his wagon to Kyrie Irving, the Nets for turning the keys over to the 80 00:05:43,759 --> 00:05:46,920 organization and then deciding to kind of not follow through with that. When you 81 00:05:46,959 --> 00:05:49,519 look at the stands, they've taken sense. But like Kyrie Irving is the 82 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:54,639 you know, the main breaking point to me, Like that's the common denominator 83 00:05:54,639 --> 00:05:57,959 of all this is everything that went wrong with the Nets can be traced back 84 00:05:58,079 --> 00:06:01,399 to what he ultimately decided to do by k not getting the COVID nineteen vaccine 85 00:06:01,439 --> 00:06:06,160 and becoming this part time player. And he is in Brooklyn now he had 86 00:06:06,199 --> 00:06:10,600 to pick up his player options because there was no other market for him, 87 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:14,560 and that situation is sort of fizzled outs where we know, okay, well, 88 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:16,959 if they don't trade Kevin Durant. Maybe Kyrie's back, or maybe he's 89 00:06:16,959 --> 00:06:20,959 just gonna end up with the Lakers. Also part of that Shawnee report was 90 00:06:21,759 --> 00:06:26,759 notes that three teams remained most heavily involved in the rant sweepstakes, the Miami 91 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:31,360 Heat, the Boston Celtics, and the Toronto Raptors. Both the Heat and 92 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:36,120 the Sun's Ron Kevin Durant's initialist. We have not received confirmation of an expansion 93 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:41,040 of that list since the Sun seemed to have faded out. Now that DeAndre 94 00:06:41,079 --> 00:06:44,759 Ayton can't be a part of any direct deal or three team deal at least 95 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:47,639 until until January, and he'll have vital rights in that situation if it even 96 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:53,279 leaks out that far. So you have the Heat, the Celtics with their 97 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:57,040 Jalen Brown offer that was reported about a couple a week or two ago that 98 00:06:57,040 --> 00:06:59,480 they were willing to move Brown as part of a Durant package, and then 99 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:01,560 the Raptors of all we sort of loomed on the Fringes. Will they give 100 00:07:01,639 --> 00:07:03,920 up Scotty Barnes? Will they not? The stance has been so far that 101 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:08,000 they will not give up Scotty Barnes, but they can still depending on whether 102 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:11,839 they go with Ogianna Nobi and Gary Trent or Pascal Siakam as the centerpiece. 103 00:07:11,839 --> 00:07:15,000 Plus all these picks, they can still probably build a better package than most 104 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:21,000 teams. I am curious if this not even the report, but Durant having 105 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:26,040 that meeting with Josi was in an effort to accelerate the process to get him 106 00:07:26,079 --> 00:07:29,600 out of Brooklyn, sort of knowing that well, they were never going to 107 00:07:30,439 --> 00:07:32,920 get rid of Marx and Nash. For Durant at this point, it just 108 00:07:32,959 --> 00:07:39,000 feels like this is an organization that's really tried to seize control of the narrative 109 00:07:39,079 --> 00:07:43,120 and over its own fate, and that to get rid of Marks after apparently 110 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:46,160 agreeing to an extension with him, the optics of that are just so poor. 111 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:49,959 And so if Durant, you know, if you do grant his request, 112 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,360 now what's on you go from extending Marks to firing him. You could 113 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:56,319 get rid of Steve Nash. I would argue, no problem. There would 114 00:07:56,360 --> 00:08:00,839 be jokes criticism with people who believe that Durant specifically he had a huge say 115 00:08:00,879 --> 00:08:03,040 in Nash coming into Brooklyn, But like, you can get over that because 116 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:07,720 I think it's you look at what happened this past season and even the year 117 00:08:07,759 --> 00:08:09,759 before with all the injuries. I don't know that Nash has been dealt the 118 00:08:09,759 --> 00:08:13,040 fairest of hands. I don't know that he's also done anything that's necessarily been 119 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:16,800 spectacular as head coach. The first season was probably more encouraging than the second 120 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:20,319 season, but then you look at everything that was just going on behind the 121 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:22,439 scenes on the court with injuries, what else was he supposed to do? 122 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:26,439 Still, I think you could get rid of Nash, like the coaches in 123 00:08:26,439 --> 00:08:30,439 this situation, especially when you have Kyrie and Katie essentially saying that this is 124 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:33,879 a collaborative that they don't really have a head coach. Yeah, they're definitely 125 00:08:33,919 --> 00:08:37,080 going to be replaceable, But for what the Nets have tried to do of 126 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:41,600 drawing this line when it came to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Duranton's basically the start 127 00:08:41,639 --> 00:08:45,799 of the off season, it would be out of I guess it wouldn't be 128 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:48,639 out of character, but it would sort of miss the mark of what the 129 00:08:48,639 --> 00:08:52,799 team is currently aiming to do. So I feel like Durant makes this request 130 00:08:54,039 --> 00:08:56,360 or has this meeting at all, regardless of what was said word for word 131 00:08:56,879 --> 00:09:01,159 in that meetup in hopes of excel rating the process that he doesn't have to 132 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:05,840 deal with going into training camp in September deciding do I show up, do 133 00:09:05,879 --> 00:09:09,080 I not show up? Do I have to deal with the media once I 134 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,039 get there? Or is this going Are we ever going to be able to 135 00:09:11,039 --> 00:09:16,159 get away from these questions? And there's also the look if you're the NETS 136 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:20,639 organization too, you should root for a resolution sooner rather than later, because 137 00:09:20,639 --> 00:09:24,559 you don't want to go into training camp not to be made a decision not 138 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:28,039 only with Durant, but with regards to Kyrie and then sort of the rest 139 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:30,440 of your roster. You want to have a direction on where you're going next. 140 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,960 We know that they prefer a win now package in any Durant deal, 141 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:37,279 or one that's used when now with players who can help the media because they've 142 00:09:37,279 --> 00:09:41,080 mortgaged so much of their own future already. But you need clarity on what 143 00:09:41,159 --> 00:09:43,720 you're actually working with and could I see it both ways? Where they also 144 00:09:43,759 --> 00:09:46,320 want this out there that the screws are being put to them. So if 145 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:50,879 they do accept not pennies on the dollar, but a package, that's going 146 00:09:50,919 --> 00:09:54,879 to be significantly worse than people were expecting. Or that was you know, 147 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:58,399 being reported when Durant's initial trade request came through. Sure, this whole look, 148 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:03,320 all these were ports are wars of optics at this point. There are 149 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:05,799 people behind the scenes trying to win the press conference, trying to win the 150 00:10:05,879 --> 00:10:09,960 direction, trying to push their agendas, their narratives. So we have to 151 00:10:11,039 --> 00:10:15,519 keep that in mind. But my first, my first gut instinct to all 152 00:10:15,519 --> 00:10:20,600 of the my first gut feeling to all this is that I'm I just find 153 00:10:20,639 --> 00:10:22,679 it hysterical that this is where it's come through with drand like the optics here 154 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:28,080 are so bad for him. Even if that's not exactly how this meeting went 155 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:31,879 down, you have it's not even just a matter of if you chose this 156 00:10:31,919 --> 00:10:33,240 team and then you were the one that chose to hit your wagon and Kyrer 157 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:37,759 Irving cause you signed an extension while knowing that Sean Marks was here, that 158 00:10:37,879 --> 00:10:43,600 Steve Nash was here, and to now try after they after the organization goes 159 00:10:43,639 --> 00:10:46,879 out and announces at least that they shown Marks agreed to an extension, to 160 00:10:46,919 --> 00:10:50,840 now go out and try and force their hand a different way, It's just 161 00:10:52,279 --> 00:10:54,320 it bends my brain. And then sort of in the backdrop of all this, 162 00:10:54,919 --> 00:10:58,200 If Kyrie Irving says he wants to be in Brooklyn, which that's been 163 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:03,200 the that's just been the chatter ever since he opted in as a show of 164 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:05,360 loyalty. It was a show of loyalty. He wasn't that he had no 165 00:11:05,399 --> 00:11:07,320 other options, and that it was a difference of keeping thirty plus million dollars 166 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:11,080 rather than take the miny MLI from the Lakers and free agency. Was a 167 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:15,679 show of loyalty that Durant still wants out knowing that Kyrie might be okay staying 168 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:18,039 in Brooklyn. Is this a way so or if you move Durant, you 169 00:11:18,039 --> 00:11:20,080 know that Kyer is going to get out anyway. I also don't know how 170 00:11:20,159 --> 00:11:24,320 you go through this entire process as Durant and you're not at least a little 171 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:28,759 bit pissed off at Kyrie Irving for the role that he played in this. 172 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:33,240 And like it's just I do tend to believe I will skew that I think 173 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:37,159 organizations receive too much credit for the work of what players are going to do. 174 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:43,000 In this case specifically, though Durant has made misstep after misstep and how 175 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,000 this was handled. If you had any doubt about the future in Brooklyn. 176 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:48,120 Why would you have signed an extension in the first place. Yeah, get 177 00:11:48,159 --> 00:11:50,600 your money and then figure it out later. You're kind of seeing how messy 178 00:11:50,639 --> 00:11:54,559 it's going to get if you need to figure it out later when four years 179 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:58,159 are left on your contract. There, I normally would say that the organization 180 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:01,879 will acquiesce to the top fifteen player of all time, who is still sort 181 00:12:01,879 --> 00:12:05,360 of in his prime. But the steps that the Nets have taken to let 182 00:12:05,399 --> 00:12:09,240 this situation deteriorate, it leads me to believe that, no, they're not 183 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:13,879 going to choose Durant over the pairing of Marks and Nash. And maybe they 184 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:16,720 end up getting rid of Nash anyway as they move into this next era of 185 00:12:16,759 --> 00:12:22,360 basketball. But this almost sort of seals the fate of Durant in Brooklyn where 186 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:26,399 I would expect him Now, it's more likely for him to get traded before 187 00:12:26,759 --> 00:12:31,320 training camp where he ultimately lands. The fact that we haven't heard more about 188 00:12:31,399 --> 00:12:35,320 his list is a little odd. You would think maybe that's the next natural, 189 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:39,000 the next natural progression of all this. Perhaps are we going to hear 190 00:12:39,039 --> 00:12:41,759 more than oh, he was willing to go to the Heat and the Suns, 191 00:12:41,759 --> 00:12:45,360 And maybe the Celtics were kind of on there, but the Raptors aren't 192 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,279 involved, and the Pelicans get mentioned at all. Are there are other teams 193 00:12:48,279 --> 00:12:52,759 that come out of out of the woodwork that want to maybe roll the dice 194 00:12:52,799 --> 00:12:54,480 on Kevin Durant, give his health history and age. Because he has so 195 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:58,080 much time with on his contractors. He just opened up playing for them and 196 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:05,200 that's just going to organically more teams become interested in in going after him. 197 00:13:05,159 --> 00:13:09,840 Those reports have yet to follow. We haven't really seen anything come through that. 198 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:13,679 Talks are intensifying. I will say of the three teams mentioned, I 199 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:16,720 think you probably say, if Gallen Brown really is on the table and the 200 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:22,039 Celtics are going to include draft equity on top of another player, whether it's 201 00:13:22,039 --> 00:13:26,840 Smart, Robert Williams the third or Derek White, I would guess would be 202 00:13:26,879 --> 00:13:30,559 the pick there. I think that they probably have the best package, the 203 00:13:30,639 --> 00:13:33,919 one that adheres most to what the next they're looking for. I then think 204 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:37,759 it would go to Toronto pretty clearly. If they put Scottie Barnes on the 205 00:13:37,759 --> 00:13:41,679 table, I think they would clearly have the best package then. But knowing 206 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:45,039 that they're not going to they feel like the second best team in this running 207 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:48,600 and then the Heat it's just getting to assuming they can get to three first 208 00:13:48,639 --> 00:13:52,759 three swaps, then it's Tyler Hero and then it's you know, Nicola Yovich 209 00:13:52,759 --> 00:13:56,000 is in there, but you're giving O Kyle Lowry. That feels like a 210 00:13:56,039 --> 00:14:00,159 team that needs to find a third or fourth, third and fourth or or 211 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:05,200 facilitating party party to make this work. It's interesting that the report makes it 212 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:07,240 seem like the Suns are out on Kevin Durant. I can't imagine that they're 213 00:14:07,279 --> 00:14:11,000 out on Kevin Durant. This to me, might be more effective of how 214 00:14:11,039 --> 00:14:16,480 the organization views which teams can offer them or are willing to offer them the 215 00:14:16,759 --> 00:14:20,000 best packages. Because right now, if you're a Phoenix, it's you know, 216 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,279 whatever money has to be out around, and there it's mcail Bridges, 217 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:26,559 Cam Johnson, and then your entire draft is basically the set up there. 218 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:30,120 I could see, I could make a case to you as for why that's, 219 00:14:30,159 --> 00:14:31,799 as to why that might be more appealing than what Toronto could be offering, 220 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:37,600 But it's hard to stack that up against if Boston is going to attach 221 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:43,679 draft equity and another player to Jalen Brown and then the Heat. I'm not 222 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:46,559 gonna lie. I probably prefer Phoenix's best package to the Heat's package by a 223 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:52,639 pretty substantial margin, unless you're turning Kyle Lowry into other picks or a player 224 00:14:52,759 --> 00:14:56,519 that far exceed what you'd be getting value wise out of the Suns. So 225 00:14:56,679 --> 00:15:01,279 it is odd to me that the Suns are not mentioned like at the four 226 00:15:01,519 --> 00:15:03,960 of this anymore. I can't to me, I can't imagine that DeAndre and 227 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:09,240 was sort of the like the only way, the only mechanism through which they 228 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:11,919 were going to acquire KD because we knew that DeAndre was never going to go 229 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:15,799 to Brooklyn. It was just too tough with them having to be hardcapped. 230 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:18,919 And then they brought back Nick Claxton. He's a terrible fit with Ben Simmons. 231 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:22,440 It was always under this guy's that oh Eton can be used sent to 232 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:24,279 a third team or a fourth team that's going to send other stuff to Brooklyn 233 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:28,279 to make this work. So if the rant still wants to go to Phoenix, 234 00:15:28,279 --> 00:15:31,919 Phoenix, Phoenix is involved in this like Mega Stars, they're gonna put 235 00:15:31,919 --> 00:15:35,080 even with four years left on their deal, it absolutely matters. What I 236 00:15:35,159 --> 00:15:39,720 do wonder is whether, by reaching this point, if it's the Nets who 237 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:43,200 have self who are self serving in the sense of, oh, everyone knows 238 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:46,840 the pressure being applied to us from Kevin Rant, how unreasonable some of these 239 00:15:46,879 --> 00:15:50,919 asks has been specifically to get rid of Sean Marks after we just extended him 240 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:54,879 to try and pin blame on the direction of the franchise that you were comfortable 241 00:15:54,919 --> 00:15:58,960 with a year ago and then the last year you're not comfortable with it anymore. 242 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:02,120 And what has changed abu the organization in that last year? Is it 243 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:04,799 their fall up? James Harden requested to trade. No Kyrie Irving happened, 244 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:10,480 that is what actually happened. So the Nets actually have a unique form of 245 00:16:10,519 --> 00:16:12,960 cover here, I think, relative to how most of these situations might play 246 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:15,960 out. Yeah, they'll come off looking bad regardless. But I do wonder 247 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:22,360 if this would embolden them to send Kevin Durant somewhere that he doesn't necessarily want 248 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:26,320 to go, or isn't on his first list, his second list, his 249 00:16:26,399 --> 00:16:30,679 sublist, whatever it is. And given how few teams I can we can 250 00:16:30,759 --> 00:16:36,480 single out that could give him a realistically give up these attractive trade packages for 251 00:16:36,559 --> 00:16:38,480 him. Maybe it doesn't even matter. Maybe we've already gone through them all 252 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:41,399 when you're looking at Miami and you're looking at Boston, you're looking at Toronto 253 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:45,240 and Phoenix. Then we've mentioned New Orleans a million times on this podcast, 254 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:49,080 Like what other team is going to come in and bowl over the nets with 255 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:52,240 an offer? I do think Atlanta can probably get to an interesting number of 256 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:56,759 picks if they're also going to be dangling Capella and Collins maybe again in third 257 00:16:56,799 --> 00:17:00,919 or fourth team scenarios. Cleveland, if they're not gonna put Mobili on the 258 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:04,799 table, that's really tough to envision. So you've all and if the Clippers 259 00:17:04,799 --> 00:17:08,359 aren't going to give up Paul George, if Menace isn't gonna, you know, 260 00:17:08,599 --> 00:17:12,240 break up its core and put Jaron Jackson Junior and Desmond Vane on the 261 00:17:12,279 --> 00:17:18,279 table, you start to run out of options here pretty quickly. And just 262 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:21,119 there are teams that might be interested that really won't have enough. It feels 263 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:23,799 like Golden State already bought Bat out of this situation. Philly doesn't really have 264 00:17:25,079 --> 00:17:29,279 a ton of pull in these talks, aside from Tyrres Maxie, who by 265 00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:30,799 himself is super appealing, but he's just not enough to get a deal done 266 00:17:30,799 --> 00:17:34,799 on his own. Portland really no longer has the assets to me to get 267 00:17:34,799 --> 00:17:40,759 it done after going through their their off season. If you wait long enough, 268 00:17:40,759 --> 00:17:42,000 you can build things around Shane and Sharp and Jeremy Graham. But even 269 00:17:42,039 --> 00:17:48,759 your draft pick equity is not going to be that sexy at the moment, 270 00:17:48,039 --> 00:17:52,519 and so like you run out of suitors very quickly. I know the Wizards 271 00:17:52,519 --> 00:17:56,279 were sort of mentioned, and they might have a more trade attractive trade package 272 00:17:56,279 --> 00:17:59,599 than most when you're looking at oh including Denny Avda. Can we get to 273 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:03,680 salary filler with Chris Tops or we tack on Will Barton and Monte Morris, 274 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:08,160 There's Kyle Kuzman in there. Having that draft pick ode protected right now to 275 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:11,680 the Knicks does make figuring out what their best offer would be a little bit 276 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:15,640 difficult because you're probably not going to get the Knicks to unprotect that pick in 277 00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:18,480 twenty twenty three. If you do, yeah, then you can get to 278 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:21,680 a point where you're like Miami, it's three first three swaps and then the 279 00:18:21,759 --> 00:18:23,440 other players that you have to offer. I think you can make a case 280 00:18:23,519 --> 00:18:27,240 or arguably more valuable than what Miami would be doing. Because Tyler Hero, 281 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:32,680 maybe you consider that the best prospect between Miami and Washington, but also like 282 00:18:32,759 --> 00:18:38,279 having Denny Avda, having Johnny Davis having you know, uh, maybe maybe 283 00:18:38,319 --> 00:18:42,880 the Nets like Ruby Hachimura having Daniel Gafford as well, who still remains young. 284 00:18:44,599 --> 00:18:48,319 There's just there's more levels to what the package that the Wizards could build 285 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:51,839 at the mid end. Salaries are definitely going to look better to the Nets 286 00:18:51,839 --> 00:18:55,359 than a Kyle Lowry as a salary anchor. When you're talking about a Will 287 00:18:55,359 --> 00:18:59,960 Barton or kuzm or Monte Morris maybe really high on prezingis I wouldn't necessarily believe 288 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:03,000 that they would be so. Point being, it really feels like when we're 289 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:07,240 mentioning the teams that were mentioned Boston, Miami, Toronto, maybe throw New 290 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:11,920 Orleans and Phoenix in there. That sort of feels like, maybe throw a 291 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:15,160 six team in there. Like, it doesn't feel like this Kevin Durant sweepstakes 292 00:19:15,160 --> 00:19:18,640 will be that expansive unless he specifically names a team that we're not talking about, 293 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:21,759 and he comes out and says, I want to go to Orlando and 294 00:19:21,799 --> 00:19:23,519 I want to stay there, not even trolling the Magic here. It would 295 00:19:23,559 --> 00:19:27,359 need a development along the lines of that, And so I don't know that 296 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:33,440 this request changes anything unless you believe that the Nets were going that there was 297 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:37,799 a chance that the situation Brooklyn was going to be salvaged and that they would 298 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:41,759 keep Kadie, keep Kyrie. Ever, see what they have with those two, 299 00:19:41,759 --> 00:19:44,240 Ben Simmons, the rest of the roster, Joe Harris coming back, 300 00:19:44,279 --> 00:19:47,160 they traded for Royce O'Neil, They bring back Patty Mills, they bring back 301 00:19:47,519 --> 00:19:51,839 Nick Claxton. You know Cam Thomas in year two. For him, the 302 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:53,880 team can still be really good if they stay this way. I just kind 303 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:56,640 of think we're at the point where it's too far gone. And if this 304 00:19:56,680 --> 00:20:00,359 is what Kevin Durant wants, or if this is what the Net I think 305 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:02,920 they want, or if this is how the Nets are painting what Kevin Durant 306 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:07,359 wants, it doesn't feel like there's a resolution to be had here. And 307 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:10,759 sort of in the backdrop of all this, meanwhile, was I don't know 308 00:20:10,799 --> 00:20:14,440 how much stock I placed in this report coming from Rick Buker on Fox Sports, 309 00:20:14,599 --> 00:20:18,559 but that Ben Simmons left a group text chat when they asked him if 310 00:20:18,559 --> 00:20:21,400 he was going to play in a game against Boston this past year. He 311 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:23,839 didn't answer them. He just left the NETS group chat, and so this 312 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:30,279 is like we've reached the point of just Nets bullshit where anything to me could 313 00:20:30,319 --> 00:20:33,039 sound believable, and a report like that, Yeah, I'll just buy into 314 00:20:33,079 --> 00:20:36,599 it, because, like, whatever's wrong with this organization, I'm just going 315 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:41,319 to assume is fact at this point that Kevin Durant stuff specifically, it just 316 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:44,039 it feels like this means it's more likely that he's going to leave. I 317 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,319 wouldn't doubt that the team would get rid of Steve Nash if that's what it 318 00:20:48,359 --> 00:20:52,519 came down to. But the Marks request pushes it one too far. Whether 319 00:20:52,559 --> 00:20:56,160 it's a like whether you're actually thinking about Marks the value of the organization or 320 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:59,880 for me, I'm looking at it at it optically for not just his ext 321 00:21:00,279 --> 00:21:02,839 but the message the organization has been trying to convey since the end of the 322 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:06,799 season that they're not going to Kauto to Kyrie Irving. They're not going to 323 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:11,400 Kauto to Kevin Durant. So that's where I'm at with this. I'll have 324 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:15,440 we'll have more on this as it unfolds. I suppose I don't. This 325 00:21:15,759 --> 00:21:19,880 request certainly has not changed the suitors that would materially be involved. It's still 326 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:23,759 the same organizations and names being bandied out about there. I think the biggest 327 00:21:23,759 --> 00:21:27,519 conclusion we can draw from this though, is that if you had to bet 328 00:21:27,599 --> 00:21:32,039 now whether Kevin Durant would be with the Nets or play a game with the 329 00:21:32,079 --> 00:21:34,279 Nets next season, That's not something I would even consider investing in at this 330 00:21:34,319 --> 00:21:40,279 point. It just feels like that situation is too far gone. I guess 331 00:21:40,279 --> 00:21:42,920 stay tuned. This is the this is the team that keeps on giving the 332 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:47,839 Nets. There's always going to be these different ports of them apparently until next 333 00:21:47,839 --> 00:21:49,319 time. Please remember, though, to rate reviews, subscribe to us wherever 334 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:53,359 you're getting your podcasts. If this is your first time listening on YouTube, 335 00:21:55,039 --> 00:21:57,000 hit the subscribe button, hit hit like comments, and all the videos help 336 00:21:57,039 --> 00:22:03,240 the algorithm love us back. I'll be back with another fuller podcast on Wednesday, 337 00:22:03,279 --> 00:22:04,640 Thursday, and Friday. I think this week's will stay tuned for that 338 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:07,680 unless there's any more break the news that could come out. And finally, 339 00:22:08,039 --> 00:22:11,359 I leave with the shout out to the one, the only the legendary would 340 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:17,319 never request for in trade because he's so permitted to whatever championship caused of which 341 00:22:17,319 --> 00:22:18,599 he is a part. Frank Nila Keena