Kevin Durant’s recent request for change sparked shock waves in the NBA, but not everyone is buying its veracity.
ESPN NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins, for example, believes Durant’s demand is just a ploy.
“I’m looking at it and I’m saying,‘ Why does KD want to go out? ’Perkins told‘ NBA Today ’on Tuesday.” … And suddenly, once Kyrie Irving opts for his contract, Kevin Durant comes out and says, ‘I want them to change me.’
. @ KendrickPerkins doesn’t think Kevin Durant really wants to be changed 🤔
“It doesn’t make sense to me that I want to be changed right now … I think Kevin Durant is doing this as a scare tactic to help Kyrie Irving have influence.” pic.twitter.com/uyPWgKeZ3G
– NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 5, 2022
“I came to the conclusion that I don’t believe in Kevin Durant. I don’t believe it at all. In fact, it doesn’t make sense to me that I want to be negotiated right now. I don’t think you believe it. I think Kevin Durant is doing this as a scare tactic to help Kyrie Irving have influence to get him to sign him in the long run with the Brooklyn Nets. ”
Perkins’ theory comes as a result of reports that the Nets are “turning off the atmosphere” they could keep Durant until the fall camp, holding on to see if the disgruntled parties can resolve their differences. During, after all, he has four years left on his contract; there are few incentives for Brooklyn to expedite a deal unless its asking price is met.
But the boom in activity elsewhere on the NBA scene, highlighted by Minnesota’s acquisition of Rudy Gobert, is fueling Perkins’ suspicions about Durant.
Kevin Durant asked the Nets for a change last Thursday. Getty Images
“Are we talking about KD, one of the top five players, possibly the best player in the NBA, and they haven’t moved him yet?” said Perkins. “Are you sitting here telling me right now that Kevin Durant is still in the market?… If you’re any other NBA team and Kevin Durant is in the market and you want to tell me that traction hasn’t increased during the head of week? I don’t think so. ”
On Sunday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Durant’s market “is still taking shape.”