The Kevin Durant trade request saga is over.
With a month to spare before training camp, Nets general manager Sean Marks released a statement that the franchise and the superstar will move forward together, the resolution stemming from a meeting held between Durant, his management and Nets brass.
For nearly two months, Durant's request dominated the news cycle and caused a pause in the NBA world, with transactions freezing to a halt as teams waited for the superstar-sized domino to fall.
With the biggest storyline of the offseason being settled, the basketball world didn't waste much time reacting to the news.
Free agent Isaiah Thomas shared his apparent relief as the end of the saga could signal good news for players in search of their next team.
Finally lol. Can we sign now lol
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) August 23, 2022
Durant's teammate, Kyrie Irving, took a more cryptic approach to potentially express his relief.
Irving opted for a gif zooming in on a smirk from Kobe Bryant, which could be a reaction to the news, a birthday wish to Bryant, or even both.
— A11Even (@KyrieIrving) August 23, 2022
Jazz guard Patrick Beverley took a more critical approach, saying "it's dudes with families out here who haven't got a job because of this KD s—," a statement that drew a response from Durant himself, prompting a back-and-forth between the two.
#BLAMEKD https://t.co/BiRhf4nFyr
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) August 23, 2022
Damn gang who said I was talking about u. I’m speaking of how it was done. Both sides need keep that private. But noted📝 https://t.co/5T9ITP2Ka2
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) August 23, 2022
In the media realm, Stephen A. Smith took a victory lap on ESPN's "First Take," standing on his claim that he "told you (Durant) wouldn't be going anywhere," along with a simplified summary of the Nets message to the Durant with their statement: "stay your behind right where you are. Period. Period."
"Stay your behind right where you are. Period. Period."
— 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣’ 𝙉𝘽𝘼 (@_Talkin_NBA) August 23, 2022
— @stephenasmith on Kevin Durant staying with the Nets#NBATwitter #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/iLNy7Y0D5m
With training camp just around the corner, Durant and the Nets will be back on the floor on Oct. 3 when they open the preseason against the 76ers.
