The Brooklyn Nets are in a sticky situation. As soon as the news of Kevin Durant requesting a trade came to light, it was clear that their chance at a dynasty had come to a close.
There have been some suggestions that the Nets simply keep Durant and Kyrie Irving heading into next season, as both are under contract, but that’s just not how it works.
When a player asks out, the team usually fills that request. If not to comply with the players’ demands, then to ensure that their roster is full of players who actually want to be there.
Why the Brooklyn Nets need to trade Kevin Durant ASAP
And that last point is exactly why the Nets need to trade Durant as soon as possible. There’s no point in keeping a player around that has no interest in being on the team, even if that player is Durant.
Yes, Durant is one of the best players to ever step foot in the NBA, but having a player around who is fed up with the situation and has already asked out creates a toxic environment.
Joe Tsai has hinted toward this notion with some recent Twitter activity, but having a team full of hard-working players who enjoy playing for the franchise is better than having a bunch of indifferent stars.
And yes, this is obviously extremely ironic, considering the fact that the Nets essentially dumped a team of Brooklyn-loving guys in favor of adding Durant and Irving to the squad.
That was their mistake, but now, they have a chance to make up for it. Bringing Durant and Irving into the season would be a massive mistake, and the Nets need to realize that.
They may not get the perfect package in return for Durant, and that’s not surprising. Yes, he’s Durant, but he’s also 34 years old and entering the latter stages of his career.
Brooklyn needs to trade him for a ton of picks and some quality young pieces and move on with their franchise. Taking Durant into next season would be nothing more than another huge mistake.