Getty Sixers general manager Daryl Morey.
The stalemate between the Brooklyn Nets and Kevin Durant rages on. Durant wants a trade out of town and listed the Sixers as one of his preferred destinations. For now, the two-time NBA Finals MVP remains locked in exile.
Sixers president Daryl Morey was a surprise visitor at Philadelphia Eagles training camp on Sunday. He was seen chatting up Howie Roseman and observing practice. Morey was gracious enough to take a few questions from reporters as he exited the field, too.
“Howie and I had a trade summit. No, I’m kidding,” Morey said, via NBC Sports Philadelphia. “He just invited me, I hadn’t been able to come to an Eagles practice and the Birds look great this year, I mean, it looks like their year.”
The final query hurled at him had to do with Durant. And he dodged it faster than Superman in a phone booth.
“Thanks, guys. Talk to ya,” Morey said, laughing uncontrollably, when asked for a Durant update.
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Durant Has No Leverage, Neither Does Brooklyn
The drama unfolding in Brooklyn is slightly reminiscent of the Ben Simmons’ situation. The obvious difference being that Durant is a far superior player, a perennial MVP candidate and future Hall of Famer. Durant’s presence on any roster instantly catapults that team into contenders.
That’s why Sixers fans are drooling over the possibilities. Taking Durant away from an Eastern Conference rival is doubly appealing, especially since the Boston Celtics are another team pursuing him. Meanwhile, Durant has been busy burning bridges in Brooklyn. He wants head coach Steve Nash fired. Ditto for general manager Sean Marks.
.@WindhorstESPN on Kevin Durant’s status with the Nets:
“The Nets do not have leverage in trade talks with other teams. … Kevin Durant clearly does not have leverage with the Brooklyn Nets.”
The Nets are refusing to budge, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“Nothing has happened. The dynamic around Kevin Durant hasn’t changed at all,” Windhorst said on Get Up. “There hasn’t been an urgency in trade talks. There hasn’t been a change in strategy by the Brooklyn Nets.”
Our front office and coaching staff have my support. We will make decisions in the best interest of the Brooklyn Nets.
Windhorst went on to say that neither side has any leverage in the “stalemate.” Their very public beef is hurting the trade offers coming in and the ones going out.
“He is asking for things: ‘Get me traded. Fire the coach. Fire the GM.’ He is being told no,” Windhorst said. “So when you have denied leverage, you have a stalemate.”
Sixers-Knicks Scheduled for Christmas Day
The Sixers will travel to Madison Square Garden on Christmas Day to battle the New York Knicks. Veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein appeared to report the news first, then James Harden quickly confirmed it.
Christmas in the garden!
The Athletic’s Shams Charania revealed the rest of the league’s slate for December 25:
Sources: NBA’s 2022 Christmas Day schedule:
Bucks at Celtics
76ers at Knicks
Suns at Nuggets
Lakers at Mavericks
Grizzlies at Warriors
Harden’s excitement should come as no surprise considering his utter dominance at MSG. The 10-time All-Star is nearly averaging a triple-double in six games there: 37 points, 10.2 assists, 7.5 rebounds. Harden’s best performance came on January 23, 2019 as a member of the Houston Rockets. That’s when he dropped 61 points to tie Kobe Bryant for the second-best scoring output at MSG. Carmelo Anthony tops the list with 62.
James Harden finished with 61 points and 15 rebounds against the Knicks.
– Tied for the most points by a visitor at the current MSG
– 1st player with 60 points and 15 rebounds in a game since Shaq in 2000
– 1st player in NBA history to attempt 20 threes and 20 free throws
