Kevin Durant has reportedly formally requested a trade from the Nets and NBA Twitter was quick to react to the blockbuster news in Brooklyn.
When Kyrie Irving opted in for his 2022-23 contract with the Brooklyn Nets, it seemed as if a tumultuous offseason for the franchise had been avoided. Kevin Durant, however, had other plans.
With NBA free agency set to unload with fervor around the league, Durant took control of the headlines on Thursday as he formally requested a trade from the Nets.
According to the report from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Nets general manager Sean Marks is going to work with Durant and his agent to find a trade.
Brooklyn Nets GM Sean Marks is working with Kevin Durant and his business manager Rich Kleiman on finding a trade for the franchise star, Kleiman tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022
Durant requested a trade with the team today, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/BkNEHwkrc0
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022
Kevin Durant trade request: Best memes, tweets and reactions
Naturally given Durant’s polarizing nature when it comes to social media, NBA Twitter had plenty of jokes and thoughts ready to fire off after the news broke.
Watching the Nets give up this quickly pic.twitter.com/e8M7ZTOxc3
— Christopher Powers (@CPowers14) June 30, 2022
KD's preferred trade destination pic.twitter.com/lfPnX5lsQL
— Jared Wade (@Jared_Wade) June 30, 2022
┳┻|
— Zach Harper (@talkhoops) June 30, 2022
┻┳|
┳┻|
┻┳|
┳┻|
┻┳|
┳┻|
┻┳|
┳┻|
┻┳|
┳┻|
┻┳|
┳┻| _
┻┳| •.•) Trade him back to OKC
┳┻|⊂ﾉ for all those picks
┻┳|
KD saw this and packed up his locker https://t.co/EOdlV6i18Z
— Kofie (@Kofie) June 30, 2022
LeBron waiting for Kyrie and KD outside the Nets facility pic.twitter.com/K03otyMh3y
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) June 30, 2022
KD live tweet your trade request
— Robby Kalland (@RKalland) June 30, 2022
Kevin Durant leaving the Warriors to prove he could lead his own team and then requesting a trade the same year Golden State wins again is… wild.
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) June 30, 2022
Kyrie: “I’m gonna fulfill my commitment to the Nets and KD!”
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) June 30, 2022
KD: pic.twitter.com/FdGZIPfHMK
Kyrie: "I'm coming back!"
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) June 30, 2022
KD: pic.twitter.com/0P9bR32Xiz
He might search his name and be a reply guy but KD continues to make unpopular decisions and part of me respects that
— Jared (@JMintzWords) June 30, 2022
Durant left the Warriors after winning his rings in order to lead his own team but that was clearly misguided in Brooklyn. Still, it’s hard not to be at least somewhat critical of the superstar for his decision-making, at least in terms of his decisions often being unpopular, as mentioned by Jared Mintz.
With that said, the early rumors suggest that the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat are Durant’s preferred landing spots for a trade, both teams that were in the playoffs this past year and could be a piece like KD away from truly becoming title favorites.