Kevin Durant’s attempts to force a trade from the Brooklyn Nets escalated with his ultimatum to owner Joe Tsai. That ultimatum may have been part of a bigger plan on Durant’s part to make a trade happen.
Rival teams believe Durant never actually expected the Nets to accept his demands and fire coach Steve Nash and GM Sean Marks, according to NBA writer Marc Stein. Instead, other teams believe Durant is trying to create as much behind-the-scenes drama as possible with the hope that the Nets will ultimately get sick of it and lower their asking price.
If Durant expected his ultimatum to fall flat, he was ultimately proven correct. If Durant’s strategy really does involve creating as much drama as possible, that ultimatum probably is not his last move.
Thus far, the Nets have been unflinching in keeping their demands high in any Durant trade. If that does not change, it’s unclear what Durant’s next move might be.
