Kevin Durant is the star of the NBA’s hottest offseason drama.
Adam Silver would rather not have been.
The NBA commissioner held a news conference Tuesday from the league’s owners meetings. He was asked directly about his thoughts on Durant’s trade request with the remaining four years of his $194 million contract. He is not happy about it.
“I don’t know if he asked for a deal or asked for one, to be honest,” Silver said. “It has to be a two-way street. Teams provide enormous security and guarantees to players, and the expectation in return is that they will live up to their end of the bargain.
“I am realistic that there are always conversations behind closed doors between the players and their representatives and the teams. But we don’t like to see players asking for a trade and we don’t like it happening the way it is.”
Kevin Durant wants out of Brooklyn. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Durant is under contract with the Nets through 2026 under a deal he signed less than a year ago. Meanwhile, the Nets are coming off a historically disappointing season and he wants out. On the one hand, it’s hard to blame him. James Harden is gone, Kyrie Irving is a disastrous teammate, and a Nets team that was expected to contend for years is instead falling apart.
On the other hand, Durant just signed his contract. Unlike the NFL, all the money is guaranteed, and Nets owner Joseph Tsai has a right to expect some kind of return on his investment. That’s the point Silver — whose job it is to represent the interests of team owners — made Tuesday. He told reporters the topic would be raised during the next round of collective bargaining talks with the players’ union.
“We intend to discuss with our players’ association and see if there are funds for that,” Silver said.
While the issue is a setback for the Nets and a headache for Silver, it’s not necessarily bad for the league. The NFL is the king of staying in the headlines all year long, but no one has an offseason quite like the NBA in its prime.
But Silver – at least publicly – would prefer things to be a little less interesting.
“Ideally — basketball was fantastic last season,” Silver said. … “I’d like the focus to be on the floor game.”
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