Immediately, the mud settled and the drama got here to an finish, and the Nets returned to their put up as championship contenders — if not favorites.
The Nets introduced in a joint assertion with Kevin Durant’s media firm Boardroom that the famous person ahead and his agent, Wealthy Kleiman, sat down and got here to an settlement with Nets proprietor Joe Tsai, common supervisor Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash in Los Angeles on Monday.
“We've agreed to maneuver ahead with our partnership,” Marks wrote in a press release. “We're specializing in basketball with one collective aim in thoughts: construct an enduring franchise to convey a championship to Brooklyn.”
In different phrases, Durant stays a Web, and the Nets stay a reliable menace to win an NBA championship.
That chance — a championship in Brooklyn — hung in jeopardy as Durant twice requested a commerce within the aftermath of Kyrie Irving’s contract negotiations, discussions that led to Irving opting into the ultimate yr of his contract value $36.5 million this upcoming season versus inking a brand new long-term contract that offers him safety in Brooklyn. Durant formally requested a commerce on June 30, then met with Tsai in London two weeks in the past and instructed the Nets governor to both commerce him or hearth each Marks and Nash.
Tsai instantly tweeted assist for his entrance workplace and training employees, creating an deadlock. The Nets additionally remained unwilling to just accept pennies on the greenback for any Durant deal, and Durant — no less than on the time — remained steadfast in his want to depart Brooklyn.
The very best affords from the Celtics, Pelicans, Suns and Raptors by no means included the respective staff’s greatest participant, and the Nets by no means wavered on their stance of wanting an All-Star, a number of position gamers and draft compensation in alternate for a top-five participant.
And now we’re right here: These events had a finite period of time to enhance their affords. The Pelicans by no means needed to incorporate Brandon Ingram in a deal for Durant; the Celtics reportedly provided Jaylen Brown however refused to incorporate Marcus Sensible or Robert Williams; the Warmth couldn't embody Bam Adebayo as a result of he and Ben Simmons are each signed to the identical rookie max extension and the CBA prevents groups from buying and selling for 2 gamers who've signed such a deal; and the Suns by no means made Devin Booker out there and couldn’t commerce Deandre Ayton after he signed a proposal sheet with the Indiana Pacers.
All of it labored within the Nets’ favor, as a result of the best-case state of affairs for each Brooklyn and Durant was a reunion at Barclays Heart.
Two seasons in the past, the Nets knocked on the door of a championship, solely to have that door slammed shut in a second-round loss to the Milwaukee Bucks after Irving’s ankle harm and James Harden’s damage hamstring. Nonetheless, Durant hit one of many largest pictures in franchise historical past –— a turnaround buzzer-beater that may have despatched Milwaukee residence in Sport 7 had Durant’s foot not touched the 3-point line.
Final season, the Nets by no means stood an opportunity: COVID-19 battered their roster, Joe Harris suffered a season-ending harm in November, Irving by no means bought vaccinated and didn’t play a sport till January, Harden bought annoyed and requested a commerce, and Ben Simmons arrived within the Harden deal and by no means performed a sport due to lingering again points.
Now, the Nets run it again. Simmons has reportedly lastly superior to three-on-three work and is on schedule to be totally wholesome for coaching camp after present process a again process this offseason. Irving is on a one-year deal and should be motivated to show he deserves the complete five-year value an extra of $250 million. And Durant nonetheless reigns supreme as one among basketball’s greatest gamers, even when he struggled to impose his will towards the league’s greatest protection in Boston throughout final season’s first-round sweep.
Durant returns to a roster that has been improved, however nonetheless wants work. Marks traded a first-round choose and a commerce exception to the Utah Jazz for vaunted three-and-D wing Royce O’Neale. He additionally signed well-known scorer TJ Warren to a minimal deal, although a nagging foot harm has saved Warren off the ground for every of the previous two seasons. The Nets additionally added athletic guard Edmond Sumner, who can be coming off a leg harm.
Marks additionally re-signed each Patty Mills and Nic Claxton to new two-year offers. The Nets even have their mid-level exception out there to signal free brokers. With Durant reaffirming his want to remain in Brooklyn, the free agent market simply opened again up for enterprise.
And so did Las Vegas, as a result of the Nets at the moment are again as reliable championship contenders and Durant’s presence on the roster provides them an opportunity to win any sport, any night time.
The questions have been answered. The drama has come to an finish. As coaching camp looms in late September, the Nets can now give attention to basketball, on making these items match, and on profitable video games as a result of as proficient as this staff has been for every of the previous two seasons, they solely have one playoff collection victory to indicate.
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