From Paolo Banchero to Kevin Durant, NBA fan favorites aren’t playing enough
New York TimesLAS VEGAS — Off to the side of a full-service wet bar, stocked with enough top-shelf tequila and whiskey to be an acceptable place to drink in Sin City, is a lounge with stuffed chairs, sofas and an ottoman. You can’t because it would never happen, even though Mike Trout is a million times more likely to play in some of those games than LeBron James or Steph Curry are to play in summer league. The purpose of summer league is to A) get the recently drafted rookies’ feet wet in a pro setting; B) give G Leaguers and EuroLeaguers a chance to show off for 30 NBA front offices; C) get some young, already-on-the-team NBA players, like, say, the Knicks’ Quentin Grimes, a few more reps; D) attend LeGarie’s party. He was asked about Kevin Durant’s trade demand of the Brooklyn Nets, even though he signed a four-year, $198 million contract extension last summer that doesn’t even start until this coming year. Yes, a player of Durant’s stature and contract demanding a trade is bad for league business, as in the actual transactions for front offices trying to build their teams.
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