Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets remain together after the two parties agreed on the continuity of the player, who a few weeks ago requested his departure from the club, a request that shook the NBA. In this way, the New York team keeps its star and preserves its options to aspire to the ring next season.
The Nets announced Tuesday that franchise management has met with Durant and his business partner Rich Kleiman in Los Angeles and "agreed to move forward with the partnership," general manager Sean Marks said in a statement. Marks attended the meeting along with trainer Steve Nash and owners Joe and Clara Wu Tsai.
“We are focusing on basketball with one collective goal in mind: to build a lasting franchise to bring a championship to Brooklyn,” added Marks. That's certainly more likely keeping Durant, who remains one of the best scorers in the NBA. Durant has a four-year contract, which was signed last summer.
It is not known exactly why he sought a trade, which came at the end of a turbulent year in Brooklyn. The Nets, championship favorites before last season began, barely made the playoffs and then were beaten in four games by the Boston Celtics.
The previous year, the Nets started the season with the big three formed by Durant, Irving and James Harden, who left the team in the middle of the season to join the Sixers. The Nets later refused to give Durant's close friend Kyrie Irving a contract extension, causing him to exercise his option to continue for another year.
Finally came the request to leave Durant, whose future has been the main topic in the NBA summer. Several franchises made numbers to get his services, especially the Boston Celtics, but his high salary and the demands of the Nets made a satisfactory operation unfeasible for both parties.
