Durant stays put, but Nets can only avoid drama for so long

The trade request that dominated this NBA offseason was resolved in the most anticlimactic way on Tuesday.

The Brooklyn Nets announced that Kevin Durant and the team's leaders have agreed to "move forward with their partnership." Given how little leverage Durant had as he enters the first year of a four-year contract extension, the end result isn't surprising. Still, it's stunning how poorly Durant appears to have played this.

When reports emerged earlier this month that Durant told Nets owner Joe Tsai to choose between keeping him or keeping general manager Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash, Durant was going to have to play his hand aggressively. Surely, if Durant was going to strong-arm Brooklyn like this - despite being under long-term team control - he must've been prepared to hold out if he didn't get his way.

In that scenario, a dysfunctional Nets team that doesn't control its own first-round pick until 2028 might eventually find itself backed into a corner. If Durant was willing to play his strongest card, the Nets would have had to trade him to offset his loss or been forced to grant Durant's wish to get the 12-time All-Star back on the court.

Now we'll never know, and we have to wonder whether Durant was ever willing to hold out. Was he ever open to missing a few paychecks to get what he wanted? If the answer is no, then what a waste of time this summer saga has been for Durant, Brooklyn, prospective suitors, and those around the league whose futures were held up by the Durant-centric drama.

Did Durant really believe the Nets would give him what he wanted simply because he asked? The naivete of this failed power play only further damages Durant's reputation, whether or not he admits to caring about it.

In many ways, the Durant sweepstakes unfolded just as his tenure in Brooklyn and partnership with Kyrie Irving have: all sizzle and no steak.

Still, sportsbooks readjusted their odds for Brooklyn's win total, and the Nets now share the fourth-best title odds with Milwaukee, behind Boston, Golden State, and the L.A. Clippers.

Ben Simmons provides a defensive and transition spark Brooklyn hasn't had in the Durant-Irving era. As a playmaking power forward whose individual offense isn't necessary, Simmons could actually be a great fit alongside these legendary offensive talents.

Royce O'Neale is another positive defensive acquisition, while T.J. Warren was a solid buy-low candidate this summer. The return of sharpshooter Joe Harris from a serious ankle injury adds another dimension to what looks like a high-powered offense.

If the Nets' stars stay healthy and the team remains relatively drama-free, Brooklyn's an obvious title contender. But that's a massive if. There are more reasons to bet against positive outcomes for a Durant-Irving-Simmons trio at this stage of their careers than there are reasons to believe in them.

Durant's on-court greatness is the most trustworthy component, but in two seasons since returning from his Achilles injury, Durant has missed more than 40% of Brooklyn's games due to various injuries.

A disappointing showing against Boston's stout defense in the first round of the playoffs was also a sobering reminder that Durant, who'll be 34 years old when the new season tips off, is no longer automatic. He'll also be playing for a coach and a general manager who he wanted to topple.

Irving, meanwhile, has been one of the most unreliable stars in league history. The seven-time All-Star has averaged just 58 games per 82-game season over his 11-year career and has missed more than 30% of his teams' playoff games.

In the last two seasons alone, Irving has missed time due to vaccine refusal and a bizarre, mid-season personal break that left the Nets perplexed.

As for Simmons, the new season will mark 16 months since his last NBA action. A portion of that absence can be tied to a back injury, but a considerable part of it seemed related to his own poor play. Questions about the lack of progress in his development from his former team, reporters, and fans shook his confidence beyond immediate repair.

With Durant's presence once again secured, the Nets understandably feel hopeful and vindicated. It's better to have the all-time legend playing for your team than not, and surely it's swell to enter training camp with a star-studded roster that would be the envy of most franchises.

Don't be shocked if this Nets team shapes up to be another paper champion, though.

Brooklyn might be celebrating the end of one uncomfortable saga, but given the team's recent history and this specific cast of characters, the drama is never far away.

Joseph Casciaro is a senior writer for theScore.