Nets, Sean Marks agree to contract extension which comes after Kevin Durant’s trade request

Franchise cornerstone Kevin Durant has requested a trade with four years worth $198 million remaining on his contract, and superstar guard Kyrie Irving has opted into the final year of his contract worth $37 million. But the Nets have not been …

Franchise cornerstone Kevin Durant has requested a trade with four years worth $198 million remaining on his contract, and superstar guard Kyrie Irving has opted into the final year of his contract worth $37 million. But the Nets have not been willing to sign him to a long-term, fully-guaranteed deal because of the decisions Irving made that rendered him ineligible (or unavailable) to play much of last season. Durant’s trade request came prior to Sean Marks’ extension, per the source. Marks’ front office staff also negotiated new deals.
Source: Kristian Winfield @ New York Daily News

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Aaron Rose @AaronBenRose
Would you trade OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr. and all the picks for Kevin Durant? – 2:41 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Sources: Sean Marks, Nets agree to contract extension trib.al/Z7WB7Kd – 2:37 PM
Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
Leaving Las Vegas (actually I left Wednesday night) with a fresh batch of Summer League Buzz to share (Donovan, Durant and lots more) that was just dispatched worldwide: marcstein.substack.com/p/leaving-las-… – 2:18 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Solve for X:
Myles Turner + X first round picks=Bam Adebayo
Wondering if there might be a Pacers-Nets-Heat Kevin Durant construction to be found. – 2:00 PM
Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
New #Celtics mailbag features questions on what’s going to happen with Evan Fournier TPE before it expires next week, Malcolm Brogdon’s health, what will Payton Pritchard’s role be and could another East contender be in the mix for Durant? masslive.com/celtics/2022/0… – 12:05 PM
Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Would you want to see Kyle Lowry on the Brooklyn Nets with Kevin Durant?
@Frank Isola and @Brian Scalabrine weigh in pic.twitter.com/TMfNQCX2Mu – 12:05 PM

Brian Windhorst @WindhorstESPN
New podcast. Deandre Ayton’s big contract and how it affects the Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell trade situations (w/@Tim Bontemps & @Tim MacMahon) spoti.fi/3IJJGi2 – 11:45 AM
Joe Vardon @joevardon
From Paolo Banchero to Kevin Durant, NBA fan favorites aren’t playing enough — and that (to me) is the league’s biggest issue. ⁦@The Athletic⁩ theathletic.com/3424723/2022/0… – 10:19 AM
Austin Krell @NBAKrell
Windy says on First Take that the Suns matching the Ayton deal was an indicator that there’s no traction in a Durant trade to Phx. Mentioned Bkn not giving up on trying to convince Durant to stay. pic.twitter.com/R7g6IhZAlT – 10:06 AM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Phoenix matched, and Deandre Ayton is coming back. For @PHNX_Suns, I took a look at what comes next for DA and the Suns, how they fill out the roster, whether the Kevin Durant dream is dead and more: https://t.co/5AFWkFuWli pic.twitter.com/J9M4lxcVeY – 10:03 AM

Chris Vernon @ChrisVernonShow
Me and @Kevin O’Connor recorded this. Ayton match, the Durant cloud, Summer League player reactions, etc.
BlueManGroupFan84 said of it “great pod, but not enough Blue Man Group talk for me”. open.spotify.com/episode/6GKn6U… – 9:33 AM
Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
New @LockedOnNetwork NBA show w/ @Adam Mares
– Suns retain Deandre Ayton
– What is means for Phoenix’s ability to trade for Kevin Durant
– Warriors/Durant reunion?
– Donovan Mitchell’s fit with the Knicks
– Summer League standouts
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sun… – 9:18 AM
Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
From PM: Heat needs help in Durant, Mitchell pursuits. And how Ayton decision alters Suns’ Durant efforts: miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… – 9:14 AM
Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
Lowe Post podcast from overnight: @Tim MacMahon on the Donovan Mitchell trade landscape, then @Kevin Pelton and I react to PHX matching the Ayton offer sheet — and what it all means for Kevin Durant:
Apple: apple.co/3APmugc
Spotify: spoti.fi/3PbDJNc – 9:11 AM
Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
Per @Brian Windhorst the Suns matching the Ayton offer makes Phoenix less likely to acquire KD in the near term because they are less flexible and he can’t be traded after Jan. 1 – 8:48 AM
Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
New @LockedOnHeat pod
– The latest on Miami’s pursuit of Kevin Durant
– The Deandre Ayton domino
– Revisiting Kyrie
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/loc… – 7:33 AM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
What if… KD trade demand was the pro sports disgruntled equivalent of Will slapping Chris🤔 – 1:25 AM
Frank Madden @fmaddenNBA
One year ago today: Khris drops 40 points — including 12 clutch points in the final 6 minutes — to lead the Bucks to a comeback win in Game 4 of the Finals. Fun fact: Khris has as many 40-point Finals games as Kobe, KD, Wilt and Kareem (1) pic.twitter.com/FmcLMLI82p – 11:56 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
What does Ayton staying in Phoenix mean for Kevin Durant trade market? nba.nbcsports.com/2022/07/14/wha… – 11:22 PM
Dan Favale @danfavale
the suns took deandre ayton off the market.
and they still *remain* a viable kevin durant trade destination—if not the favorites to land him.
i wrote about why:
https://t.co/BUxv7g0i4D pic.twitter.com/0eNNSdKhi6 – 9:01 PM

Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
Suns tonight match Pacers’ offer for Ayton, taking him out of play for Durant trade. But Heat still needs help in Durant, Mitchell pursuits, amid ESPN report that Knicks are favorites to acquire the Jazz All Star guard: miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… – 8:37 PM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Kevin Durant wrinkle notwithstanding, I’d wager the play was always going to be sowing seeds of doubt that the Suns would match an offer for Deandre Ayton, then matching once someone took the bait. Got him for less than they could’ve offered him – 8:30 PM
Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
“I never even expected to come into a situation like Brooklyn, where I had Kyrie and KD take me under their wing,” @Cam Thomas told @Andscape. Thomas is leading #VegasSummerLeague is scoring and gives @Kevin Durant and @Kyrie Irving credit for their tutelage. https://t.co/1dnyY4ABdh pic.twitter.com/aLjbo1m5QG – 8:21 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
The Phoenix Suns have matched Deandre Ayton’s $133M offer sheet, meaning they cannot trade him until Jan. 15.
Implications on a potential Kevin Durant trade to the Suns here: nydailynews.com/sports/basketb… – 8:19 PM
Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Where the Heat’s roster stands, as it looks like Miami will need help to land either Durant or Mitchell miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… Also, how the Ayton news could impact things – 8:12 PM
Chris Sheridan @sheridanhoops
Who will get traded first? (DeAndre Ayton offer sheet lowers chances of KD to Suns): – 6:46 PM
Evan Sidery @esidery
The Suns still have the assets to make a Kevin Durant trade happen, even with Deandre Ayton’s new max salary potentially on the roster.
A package centered around Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, expiring salaries and all of their future draft picks is enough to make it work legally. – 5:39 PM
Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
From earlier —Kevin Durant or Donovan Mitchell? Trade choice not necessarily Heat’s, but comparisons unavoidable. sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… – 5:09 PM
Dan Favale @danfavale
masai ujiri seeing the suns’ chances of landing kevin durant implode pic.twitter.com/pQVpbe8T5e – 4:36 PM
Dan Favale @danfavale
deandre ayton: *sees chance to maybe play with tyrese haliburton AND complicate the suns’ pursuit of kd* pic.twitter.com/fU2ogFyqxg – 4:30 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
The Pacers are making their play for Deandre Ayton. Here’s everything you need to know about RFA, the max offer sheet, sign-and-trades, and what this means for the Suns and their Kevin Durant dreams: https://t.co/30U1d72eZt pic.twitter.com/p8BESgWnho – 4:29 PM

Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
The big question surrounding all of the Kevin Durant noise is whether he would consider playing for a team other than the Suns and Heat? That could dictate how this all plays out. – 4:19 PM
Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
Friday at 3 PM ET: @Brian Lewis joins me for a @SpotifyLive session!
Kevin Durant, Donovan Mitchell, Adam Silver’s recent press conference (which we both covered) and Summer League Reflections are all sure to be on the discussion list.
More NBA from me: marcstein.substack.com – 4:14 PM
NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBA
“[The Suns] are not eliminated but it certainly does complicate a lot of things here with Durant.”
—@Bobby Marks on the Suns matching Deandre Ayton’s offer sheet with the Pacers pic.twitter.com/4p9HU8AOAg – 4:08 PM

Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
With Ayton off table in Durant talks, not sure why a Phoenix offer built around Mikal Bridges/Cam Johnson/picks would be better than hypothetical Heat offer of Herro, Lowry, picks, other non-Bam and non-Butler assets. We’ll see if Durant cheerfully accepts trade to another city. – 3:57 PM
Gery Woelfel @GeryWoelfel
I always thought Golden State would be a great landing spot for Durant, especially since the Warriors have some enticingly good prospects i.e; Poole, Kuminga, Wiseman, Moody. But I’m hearing there has been minimal dialogue so far between Nets and Warriors. – 3:54 PM
Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Durant labels Suns or Heat as landing spots
Suns now in awkward position with Ayton news
That leaves…one? – 3:54 PM
Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
NEW from @Anthony Chiang and me: Heat needs help in Durant, Mitchell pursuits. And Ayton decision today potentially alters Suns’ Durant efforts, which can only help Heat (at least slightly) if Durant gets his way on trade destinations: miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… – 3:49 PM
Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
Cam Thomas focused on improvement amid Nets’ Kyrie Irving-Kevin Durant uncertainty. The second-year guard, who is leading the #NBA summer league in scoring, has taken valuable lessons from his All-Star teammates. Story in @andscape. https://t.co/1dnyY4ABdh #nets #kd #kyrie pic.twitter.com/2VWij7OwQh – 3:29 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
I don’t think the Suns can get Kevin Durant without either including DeAndre Ayton or spinning him off for more assets, which they can’t do this offseason if he has indeed signed an offer sheet.
But if they do pull it off? CP3-Booker-KD-Ayton is the instant title favorite. – 3:24 PM
Justin Garcia @tmjgarcia
Now that Ayton has signed the offer sheet he can’t be in a sign-and-trade (seemingly killing a Durant trade), can’t be traded to the Pacers at all this season and can veto trades after his 1/15/23 eligible trade date.
The Suns absolutely have to match this and retain the asset. – 3:13 PM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
The Suns need to match that Deandre Ayton offer. No if ands or buts about it. Kevin Durant deal is still not impossible, but it’ll probably be on the back burner now. Just can’t let him walk for nothing – 3:05 PM

More on this storyline

 

It’s a trend that includes many of the league’s biggest names and practically all the MVP candidates. Over the past three seasons, it’s clear that too few players are ready to play: Kevin Durant has played zero, 35, and 55 games; Stephen Curry has played 5, 63, and 64; LeBron James has played 67, 45, and 56. -via TrueHoop / July 15, 2022
Later in the podcast, Windhort reports that the Suns have not offered Mikal Bridges and their full boat of future first round picks and pick swaps to the Nets. On Thursday evening, Adrian Wojnarowski also reported that the Suns are “probably without the assets to be competitive for a Kevin Durant trade.” -via RealGM / July 15, 2022
“I’m not sure that they weren’t getting him,” said Brian Windhorst. “I think they have, and by the way they’re not alone… How do I want to put this? I think the position they’re taking is that they’ve made their offer for Kevin Durant. And their offer is their offer. And it’s not an offer that the Nets are interested in. “I’m not even sure the Suns can put together an offer that the Nets would be interested in by themselves. I think this is where the other teams are as well. -via RealGM / July 15, 2022