Kevin Durant will stay with the Brooklyn Nets, after months of him demanding a trade.
When news of Durant’s agreement with the Nets broke, it put to end a long, complex, saga that left everyone exhausted.
In the end, there would be no major payoff or twist – Durant would instead remain in Brooklyn and give the team yet another chance.
Durant: Trade me
Nets: NoDurant: Fire the coach and GM
Nets: NoDurant: I might retire
Nets: No you won’tDurant: OK, I will play
Nets: Sounds good— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) August 23, 2022
Since his trade demand leaked, the chances of Durant leaving the team have only dwindled.
Why?
It was because Durant lost leverage with the Nets and they lacked any real reason to listen to him.
He initially demanded a trade and it looked like it could happen, but the Nets flat-out said no.
Then he told the team to fire head coach Steve Nash and General Manage Sean Marks, and the Nets again said no.
There were rumors that Durant might even retire if Brooklyn didn’t meet his demands but they didn’t budge.
Finally, Durant agreed to come back to Brooklyn.
In the end, Brooklyn played this entire situation perfectly and they got exactly what they wanted.
Brooklyn Wins
The Nets knew that if they wanted to keep Durant, they had the upper hand.
All they had to do was just sit still and not accept any deals.
They (correctly) assumed that Durant would eventually come around and would participate with the team, even if he wanted to be traded.
They let Durant cool off and then came back around for a constructive chat that led to him being fully onboard with his team yet again.
Now the hard work really begins.
Durant and his team have a long way to go before they rule the Eastern Conference.
Their possible path to greatness starts today.
NEXT: Kevin Durant Is Staying Busy With A Different Sport