Windhorst: Kevin Durant Was 'Upset' After Kyrie Irving Requested Trade from Nets

Kevin Durant apparently didn't take too kindly to Kyrie Irving's decision to request a trade from the Brooklyn Nets.

Appearing on SportsCenter (h/t RealGM.com), ESPN's Brian Windhorst said Durant "was upset" when he found out Irving asked for a trade.

"But the question I don't have the answer to," Windhorst said, "and I'm not going to try to get in Kevin's head, was he upset at the Nets or was he upset at Kyrie?"

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Durant and the Nets are having "ongoing conversations" about the direction of the franchise but Brooklyn "has thus far" told inquiring teams he won't be traded before Thursday's deadline.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Irving made his request on Feb. 3 after having failed contract extension talks with the Nets.

Brooklyn obliged Irving's request on Monday by sending him and Markieff Morris to the Dallas Mavericks for Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie and three draft picks.

Irving's trade has led to speculation about Durant's future with the Nets. The 13-time All-Star requested a trade last offseason, but he rescinded the request after a meeting with governor Joe Tsai, general manager Sean Marks and then-head coach Steve Nash.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Nets plan to offer the draft picks they received from Dallas, as well as their 2027 first-round pick acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers, in an attempt to make more moves that upgrade their roster before the trade deadline.

Windhorst noted other teams could be wary of trying to help the Nets now, knowing there is a possibility Durant could ask out this summer:

"The interesting thing right now is that some of the teams that the Nets might be going to to potentially help bring in pieces to try to keep Durant satisfied, potentially could be Durant suitors whether he wants to come to the market again in the next three days, or wants to come to the market in July. The question teams are asking themselves is 'why should we maybe help the Nets now and do a deal if that could help them keep Durant?'"

Durant signed a four-year, $194.2 million extension with the Nets in August 2021. This is the first season of the deal that runs through the 2025-26 season and doesn't contain any opt-outs.

The Nets are currently the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference standings with a 32-21 record. Durant, who has been out of action since Jan. 8 due to a sprained MCL, leads the team in scoring with 29.7 points per game.