Marc Stein reported in his newsletter Monday that Kevin Durant is willing to cause a ruckus behind the scenes to force the Nets to lower their asking price:

If Durant hasn’t been traded by then, there is a growing expectation in league circles that he will continue trying to cause as much of a ruckus behind the scenes to try to prod the Nets into lowering their asking price at last to facilitate a deal. If it wasn’t apparent by now, he really wants that trade to Phoenix or Miami or maybe even Boston or Philadelphia, no matter what it does to his reputation when he hasn’t played a single game yet under the four-year, $194 million contract extension signed in August 2021.

No doubt Daryl Morey has Wu-Tang on vinyl playing throughout his Rittenhouse apartment right now:

I’m excited to see how toxic KD can get. Genuinely curious, would it take one “Free Hong Kong” tweet from Kevin Durant to be traded? That’s probably the nuclear option, right? Because that means China would probably pull their billion dollar rights deal with the NBA again and force Joe Tsai to sell the team. Pull the trigger, KD. Three simple words and this could all be over. Come to Philly and team up with the only two people in the NBA who had enough balls to call out China.

Imagine if the Finals matchup became the Sixers vs. LeBron and the Lakers. Good vs. Evil. Communism vs. Democracy. Xi Jinping vs. the Land of the Free (Throw).