Author: Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY

James had 42 points and 16 rebounds in his first Drew League performance since the NBA lockout in 2011.

After hinting last year that a return could be close, LeBron James suited up at the Drew League on Saturday in front of a packed gym.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said again this week, “We don’t like to see players requesting trades.” But there’s not much the league can do about it.

Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks was already in a jam with Kevin Durant’s trade request and Kyrie Irving’s general Kyrie Irving-ness.

With Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant potentially on their way out, Brooklyn is on the verge of an implosion that sets the franchise back five seasons.

Kevin Durant’s trade request comes days after Kyrie Irving picked up his player option to return to the Nets for the 2022-23 season.

Kyrie Irving won’t be a free agent, but that doesn’t mean the matter is totally settled. That’s not a shot at Irving. That’s just reality.

Brooklyn Nets star guard Kyrie Irving plans to exercise the player option on his contract for the 2022-23 NBA season that will pay him $36.5 million.

Before spending a season at Baylor, Jeremy Sochan played basketball in England, played club ball in Germany and helped Poland reach Eurobasket 2022.