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Kevin Durant is one of the best players in the NBA and one of the most talented players of all-time. His request to be traded from the Brooklyn Nets shocked fans, and has left the Nets holding out for a monster package.
His former teammate and current NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins believes that Durant and the Nets may be at the point of no return. Perkins took to his podcast Swagu and Perk to discuss Durant's trade request, stating:
(from 5:09)
"That's my point what I'm trying to tell everybody else around the world. Alright, that they keep saying 'oh, Brooklyn gone try to get him into training camp and try to work this out'.
"How? How? Didn't KD just call for Steve Nash and Sean Marks' job? Didn't Joe Tsai say the other night he stood by them and said they're not going nowhere. How in the hell do you expect to make that work when the trust is not there? Because if I'm Steve Nash, I don't trust KD."
While Perkins may not believe that the Nets' issues are reconciable, Durant does have four years remaining on his contract. If they are unable to find a fair trade, there is no need to rush into a deal. This alone could keep him in Brooklyn for at least another year, something that Stephen A. Smith suggested.
Watch Kendrick Perkins' full comments on Kevin Durant below:
Will Kevin Durant be traded?
The Brooklyn Nets would surely like to keep Kevin Durant around entering 2022-2023. With him on the roster, they have one of the NBA's best rosters and could potentially be title contenders.
Trading a superstar like Kevin Durant generally means that the team is headed towards a rebuild. Unfortunately for the Nets, that isn't possible, as they gave up much of their draft capital to acquire James Harden.
With Durant under contract for four years, the Nets know that they have leverage. Durant has already shut down rumors that he will retire before playing for the Nets.
One potential hold-up in the Kevin Durant trade is that the market was altered by the Rudy Gobert trade. The Frenchman commanded a package that included five players and five first-round draft picks. As talented as he is defensively, he is no Durant. The Nets would be wise to hold out for a much better offer.
Kendrick Perkins may believe that the situation in Brooklyn is past the point of fixing. While it is a superstars' league, the Nets have a lot of leverage. If they commit to Kyrie Irving long-term, it is hard to see Durant still wanting out.
After all, Brooklyn gives him a much better chance of winning his third championship than a team that guts their roster would. With Perkins and Durant not exactly on great terms, his statements on Durant must be taken with a grain of salt.
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