Some league executives applauded the Brooklyn Nets for how they handled the Kevin Durant trade negotiations. In a player empowerment era, the Nets have been said to set a blueprint on how to handle trade requests from superstar players. With Durant under contract for the next four years in Brooklyn, the Nets used that leverage and would only accept a game-changing trade that matched their historic asking price. No team did meet the demand, and ultimately the team was able to convince Durant to stay in Brooklyn and remain with the Nets. While the Nets reaction to the request and how they proceeded has been well-received by other NBA front offices, Durant has drawn criticism for how he handled the negotiations.
First, it was Patrick Beverley who shared a tweet sharing frustrations around the proceedings that happened this offseason in Brooklyn.
“Yal can sit and don’t say nothing but that ain’t cool. It’s dudes with families out here who haven’t got a job because of this KD shit. And to be on and off ain’t cool. Blessing Gang,” Beverley tweeted.
Beverley’s tweet resulted in a back and forth between him and Durant on Twitter. But Beverley isn’t the only player to have called out the Nets superstar forward, Charles Barkley shared perhaps one of the most epic criticisms of Durant as well as his trade demands offseason.
Charles Barkley Sounds Off on Kevin Durant
Charles Barkley, who had been openly critical of Durant multiple times in the past had a lot to say about the player that he calls “Mr. Miserble” on an appearance on an Arizona Radio Show.
“All the old guys, he get mad we say it, (but) he piggybacked on the Warriors to win his first two championships,” Barkley said Thursday on Arizona Sports 98.7. “But if you go back and look at his career, as the best player and being the leader that all goes with that, he’s been an abject failure. Every time he’s had to be the leader and best player, he has not had success. That’s what us old guys think about him.
“He seems like a miserable person, man. I call him Mr. Miserable, he’s never going to be happy. Everybody’s given him everything on a silver platter. He was the man in Oklahoma City, they loved him, he owned the entire state. He bolts on them and wins back-to-back championships (with Golden State), and he’s still not happy. Then he goes to Brooklyn, they give him everything he wants, and he’s still miserable.”
Perhaps his comments will cause another back and forth with Barkley, something each side is no stranger to.
Kevin Durant’s Return to Brooklyn
Kevin Durant returning to Brooklyn gives the Nets a chance to see what their core of Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons, and Durant may look like together. Talent-wise they have one of the best rosters in the Eastern Conference and could easily compete. While they lost Bruce Brown and Andre Drummond in free agency, they signed TJ Warren to a minimum contract and added Royce O’Neale in a trade. The team is deep and versatile and can be even better than last season.
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Charles Barkley Unleashes Epic Rant on ‘Mr. Miserble’ Kevin Durant