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During the height of the Kevin Durant trade saga this offseason, reports emerged of an alleged ultamatium. Durant was willing to return to the Brooklyn Nets, but only if general manager Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash were fired.
Nets owner Joe Tsai made it clear that he was not giving in to such demands. In the end, Marks and Nash retained their positions and Durant agreed to rejoin the team.
During Brooklyn Nets media day on September 26, Durant was asked about the request to have the coach and GM fired this summer. He responded by denying the accuracy of those reports.
"First of all, I never walk into any GM office or coach office or demand anything. Tell him to sign anybody or run a play for me. I come in and do my job as a player, which is to be coachable, work as hard as I can and be available."
"So a lot of people got that in their minds that I control everything here with the Nets and I only control my job and my job is to be a player and I felt like their relationship they had to figure that out on their own."
Kevin Durant should have no ill will towards Sean Marks or Steve Nash
At this point in time, a case can be made that Durant is telling the truth about the situation. If he wanted them both fired, why would he rescind his trade request?
Whether the reports of his ultimatum were accurate or not, Durant should have no hard feelings towards the GM or coach. Durant essentially hand-picked Nash to be the head coach after they developed a close bond during their time with the Golden State Warriors.
With Marks, he has done everything he can to surround KD with the necessary talent needed to win a championship. First he mortaged the Nets' future to bring in James Harden. Then, he managed to flip him for Ben Simmons and Seth Curry after things didn't work out. He's also added a plethora of high-quality role players such as veteran guard Patty Mills and forward Royce O'Neale.
The Nets used up all their assets to maximize Durant's window of high-level production. It makes little sense for the star forward to want a restructuring of the Nets' coaching staff and front office.
The Nets kick off their 2022-23 season against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 19.
Guess the Lakers players!
