You could not miss the bombshell that fell on the NBA on June 30, a few hours before the opening of the Free Agency. Kevin Durant asked his franchise, the Brooklyn Nets, for his trade. But now the more important question is: where could it go? And how to carry out such a historic transfer? Right away, zoom in on the Boston Celtics and their possibilities to get KD back.
Friday June 30, 2022, 8:49 p.m. French time, the explosion falls.
Kevin Durant wants to leave Brooklyn, time is running out and Coco wants to win more rings. After the time of the exploding thermometer, the entire TrashTalk editorial team has therefore asked themselves THE question that torments us all… but where the hell will KD pursue his career? To do this, and because we like to push the delirium as far as possible, we have collectively decided to look at all the NBA franchises. Yes yes, all the franchises: 29 detailed articles, with a quick overview of what could happen.
Place aux Celtics des Jay Brothers.
The Celtics situation
# Why would the Celtics go for KD?
This season, the Celtics reached – for the first time in twelve years – the NBA Finals. A superb sign of progress under the aegis of the Jay Brothers, which puts an end to old questions about the feasibility of the Brad Stevens project. Yes, these guys have the shoulders to go after the 18th title of the franchise of Massachusetts, and with the arrival of Kevin Durant, the process could well accelerate. Is it in the pipes? Boarf, collective and Process take precedence over the arrival of a big fish. This has been the plan for a few seasons, and not sure that the Celtics are breaking the rule by sending brave soldiers to Brooklyn.
# Which players are unavailable?
- Jayson Tatum
- Malcolm Brogdon
Let’s be clear: all Celtics players are likely to be tied up in their stake at 4:17 a.m. by hooded Brad Stevens and Ime Udoka. All except Jayson Tatum and Malcolm Brogdon. The first named cannot because of the « Designated Rookie Extension » and because he is the face of the franchise and the Celtics project. Without it, the benchmarks fade away, the risk is too great to be taken. As for Brogdon, the guy just arrived in Boston and therefore cannot be traded alongside other players in the package. It’s simple as hello.
# Which Celtics players could catch the Nets’ attention?
- Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Grant Williams, Robert Williams III
In the first round of the 2022 Playoffs, the Nets would have gladly accepted a Grant Williams – Kevin Durant trade, with no other asset, nothing. One has eaten the other, and the domination does not turn in the most obvious direction. But once this setback has been digested, with a little hindsight, Sean Marks will not accept to receive the unofficial JoeyStarr lookalike in exchange for his winger with twelve All-Star selections. More is needed. Jaylen Brown? The second Williams? A DPOY? Yeah, for example.
# Do they have Draft picks to offer them?
The beauty of the Celtics’ project is that they managed to build a good squad thanks to the draft, without throwing their future picks into risky trades that could have undermined this policy. The pick chest is full, you just have to use/spend/trade them wisely.
Nets salary grid
The ideal Celtics package:
- Jaylen Brown
- Marcus Smart
- 3 first draft rounds
- 1 pick swap
We would have added Grant Williams to the equation, but – and it’s extremely rare to say – Kevin Durant does not weigh as much. You already throw away a good part of your future with three first draft rounds (2023, 2024 and 2025), a « pick swap » on the 2027 first round and Jaylen Brown. We too often forget that the latter is “only” 25 years old and that his contract still lasts until the summer of 2024. For Marcus Smart, even if Boston is his comfort zone and outside, he risks lose in game volume, there remains a DPOY. But with the arrival of Malcolm Brogdon, the situation is no longer the same. What about this very nice roster: Malcolm Brogdon – Jayson Tatum – Kevin Durant – Al Horford – Robert Williams? A zest insulting Tatum on the backcourt, but on paper, it’s still very sexy.
Feasibility score: 6/10
Kevin Durant on the Boston side? Hey, both franchises would gain a lot from it, so don’t cut the pear until it’s fallen from the tree. Here, a little confidence from the editor at the end of the paper: Kevin Durant will leave Brooklyn at 1:17 a.m. Monday to Tuesday night. No source, just a hunch.