Durant said he doesn’t believe in the team’s direction, sources said. Durant and Tsai spoke in London on Saturday and sources described the discussion as transparent and professional. The meeting came a year to the day Durant agreed to a four-year, $198 million contract extension with the Nets and just more than a month after his initial June 30 trade request. Now entering the first season of this expansion. The Nets have direct knowledge of the reasons behind Durant’s request, sources said, and understand the 12-time All-Star will continue to be firm in his stance. Durant is believed to be looking for a change of scenery in his 16th season. GO DEEPER Kevin Durant trade rumors explained: Where could he go and why? Around the league, people have wondered if Durant could miss training camp if a trade doesn’t happen. After being swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Nets have been surrounded by uncertainty. In a press conference in mid-May, Marks called for the organization to reclaim its culture. Amidst Durant’s unknown situation, Kyrie Irving and the Nets couldn’t agree on a long-term deal. Irving ultimately picked up his $36.5 million player option for next season, committing to Brooklyn through 2022-23. This summer, the Nets believe they have improved the roster and have a championship-ready team. The Nets traded Royce O’Neale, signed TJ Warren and brought back Patty Mills and Nic Claxton while awaiting the full returns of All-Star trio Ben Simmons and Joe Harris. Brooklyn’s front office, led by Marks, has set a high price on buying Durant while building a team that gives the organization confidence in its ability to deal if the team carries the roster, as it is, into training camp. The Nets are incredibly high on Simmons’ return to the court after recovering from back surgery in May, seeing him as a perfect complement around Durant and Irving. After Durant’s trade request on June 30, the Nets have been in discussions with nearly every team in the league, according to sources. But because the Nets have set a high bar for the return the franchise wants for Durant — a two-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, a former league MVP and 12-time All-Star — teams have yet to be able to meet the asking price. The Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat remain the top contenders for Durant, sources said, with Boston’s package centered on All-Star forward Jaylen Brown seen as a viable deal. Chai and the Nets have made it clear privately that they will take every last asset from a team that trades for Durant, sources said. GO DEEPER Is a Kevin Durant trade to the Celtics a realistic possibility? Round table Durant has grown close with Boston coach Ime Udoka in recent years after Udoka spent a year with Durant as an assistant in Brooklyn and later with Team USA for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: Winslow Townson / USA Today)
