Report: Kevin Durant’s ‘personal bodyguard’ pushed P.J. Tucker during on-court dispute

Nets star Kevin Durant and Bucks forward P.J. Tucker got into a verbal confrontation during Milwaukee’s win over Brooklyn last night.

Then, someone rushed in and pushed Tucker while ostensibly breaking up the players. Suddenly, Tucker directed his ire toward that man.

Apparently, he was Durant’s bodyguard.

Joe Vardon of The Athletic:

At one point, with less than five minutes left in the third quarter, Durant and P.J. Tucker were nose to nose, speaking heatedly, as though they were upset. Durant’s personal bodyguard, who is on the Nets’ payroll, charged the court to break them up, and shoved Tucker.

At what point does “Durant’s personal bodyguard” just become Nets security guard? Even if his focus is Durant, he’s a team employee if he’s on the team payroll.

A Nets security guard breaking up the altercation sounds far less scandalous.

Still, there are reasonable questions about how aggressive a team security guard should be toward an opposing player. The security guard didn’t de-escalate the incident. He just further enraged Tucker.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the NBA sends a memo about how incidents like this should be handled. More direct consequences for Brooklyn seem less likely but wouldn’t be absolutely shocking.