'LOL': NBA players are enjoying the Kevin Durant trade drama just as much as the fans
Free agency day is typically one of the wildest days on the NBA calendar, and Thursday was shaping up to be another fun one. Then Kevin Durant requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets.
After months of frustration and drama in Brooklyn, mostly centered on Kyrie Irving, Durant dropped the bomb via reports that he has requested a trade from the superteam he has spent the last three years attempting to construct.
The Nets did just about everything they could to keep Durant happy and the team in contention, from signing his friend DeAndre Jordan to a nonsense contract to trading every draft pick within reach for James Harden. Durant signed a four-year, $198 million extension last season. And yet, Durant wants to seek greener pastures.
Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reports Durant has the Phoenix Suns as a preferred destination, but pretty much any contender should be interested in adding the highly malleable superstar. No draft pick is safe, though the Nets are probably going to want as many quality players as they can get since they already traded away so many draft picks to get Harden.
This is all prime drama for the NBA, and even Durant's peers on the court (at least the ones not currently employed by the Nets) are enjoying it. Here's a quick sample.
NBA players react to Kevin Durant's trade request
LOL
— Joel “Troel” Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) June 30, 2022
Can 💩 get realer ?
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) June 30, 2022
Oh this is about to be great 🍿🍿🍿🍿
— kuz (@kylekuzma) June 30, 2022
I meant today lol https://t.co/9o8vow3peV
— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) June 30, 2022
— Larry Nance Jr (@Larrydn22) June 30, 2022
NBA offseason > …
— Nicolas Batum (@nicolas88batum) June 30, 2022
NBA off-season…🍿 pic.twitter.com/NKmnRTT3aZ
— Pat Connaughton (@pconnaughton) June 30, 2022
Woooowwwwww
— Marcus Morris (@MookMorris2) June 30, 2022
— Georges Niang (@GeorgesNiang20) June 30, 2022
I love how we always got something going on in the league 😂
— Josh Hart (@joshhart) June 30, 2022
Quick power nap wake up and KD got them going crazy ...WOW
— Thad Young (@yungsmoove21) June 30, 2022