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NBA News: Nets star Kevin Durant explains trade demand

Kevin Durant publicly explained the background to his trade request for the first time on the Brooklyn Nets Media Day and commented on the offseason drama. However, he is not disappointed because no trade was made.

“There was a lot of uncertainty surrounding this team last year,” Durant said of his trade request. “You saw what happened to our season. Players were in the lineup and not, injuries… it cast doubts about the next four years of my career.”

Durant had only signed an early contract extension last year, which actually binds him to the franchise until 2026. Nevertheless, he wanted to leave the Nets in the summer. “I’m getting older and I want to be in a stable situation and build a championship culture,” continued the 33-year-old. “So I had a few doubts. I expressed them to Joe (Tsai, team owner, editor’s note) and then we moved on.”

At the end of June, Durant had requested a trade, which never materialized due to the Nets’ high asking price. In August, he increased pressure on the team by calling for the firing of general manager Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash. In the end, the parties agreed to continue working together.

With the new season about to start in three weeks, Durant isn’t disappointed that he wasn’t traded. “No,” he replied to a related question. “I know I’m so good that you won’t just give me away. I appreciate that message from Sean and Joe. I get that. I know who I am.”

Now he wants to reach for a title with the Nets. “I like how Sean put this team together,” Durant said of the Nets’ offseason moves. Last year, Brooklyn “could look in the mirror and say, ‘We failed as a team.’ That only makes us better.” Ben Simmons, who is now back on the floor, explained that they have been playing together all week. And what was the team like? “Unbelievable.”

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