NBA News: Kevin Durant demands trade from Brooklyn Nets

According to media reports, superstar Kevin Durant of the Brookyn Nets has demanded a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. In the course of this, teams have already become public, which the then most sought-after player on the market would like to join. Kyrie Irving could now be traded after all.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski (ESPN) informed the Nets on Thursday about the decision and submitted the trade request directly to owner Joe Tsai. Woj adds that Nets GM Sean Marks is working with KD and its business manager Rich Kleiman to find a suitable trade.

According to the expert, there hasn’t been any contact between the franchise and the two players since Monday, when co-star Kyrie Irving decided to take his player option. As a result, there was already a feeling that Durant might actually ask for a trade. Three days later the time had actually come.

Durant only signed a new four-year contract worth 194 million last August, which runs until 2026. According to Wojnarowski, Durant has a wish list for where he wants to play in the future. The Suns and the Heat are on it, confirmed by Brian Windhorst (ESPN). Brooklyn, however, wants seasoned players in return, having given almost all of their own draft picks to the Houston Rockets in the James Harden trade.

In the case of a trade with Phoenix or Miami, the Nets Stand will now insist on Devin Booker or Bam Adebayo respectively. Both are currently playing with a “Designated Rookie Extension”, however, according to the CBA it is not allowed to trade for two such players at the same time. The Nets already have such a player in their roster in Ben Simmons, so he would need to be involved in such a deal. According to Windhorst, Phoenix is ​​Durant’s preferred destination.

The Nets, however, want to give that little consideration and find the deal that helps them the most. Due to the long term, there are numerous teams who want to give up a lot of assets for such an exceptional player. According to Woj, more than half of all NBA teams have already put out feelers to Durant.

Durant scenarios: Nets probably reject first Celtics offer

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Almost four weeks have passed since Kevin Durant’s trade request – and now the Celtics are probably getting involved in the talks! Phoenix and Miami also remain interested. We ran through a few scenarios.

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First of all, the basics: Durant’s contract runs until 2026, by which time KD will be almost 38 years old. During this time, the two-time Finals MVP still rakes in almost $200 million.

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Accordingly, the Nets have no time pressure to thread a deal. GM Sean Marks is still waiting for what he thinks is a suitable offer – and is said not to shy away from possibly waiting until the training camp.

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According to media reports, the Nets’ demands look something like this: Several first-round picks, several pick swaps, an all-star player and ideally another starter. Few teams can do that.

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In theory, the Boston Celtics could come very close to these requirements. Adrian Wojnarowski (ESPN) reports that the Celtics are indeed in talks. Only Jayson Tatum should not be available …

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… but maybe Jaylen Brown instead? The 25-year-old was an all-star for the first time in the 2020/21 season and also knew how to please as Tatum’s co-star in the Celts’ finals run. Woj speculates on Brown plus 3 first-round picks and 2 pick swaps for KD.

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In order to make the salaries right (Brown earns $28.7 million next season, Durant $44.1 million), Boston would have to throw Derrick White ($16.8 million) into the trade, for example. Brooklyn is said to have turned down an initial offer with Brown, White + Pick

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Instead – according to Shams Charania (The Athletic) – the Nets are apparently demanding Brown, Marcus Smart, several picks and another rotation player. That’s Boston so far but too much. Nonetheless, Boston is described as “enormously” interested.

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Theoretically, Al Horford’s contract (only 19.5m guaranteed) would also be possible, but is that enough for the Nets? And should Boston take the risk of breaking up its own young Finals core for a 33-year-old Durant?

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There is even speculation that Brooklyn only spread these rumors with Boston to encourage the competition to make an improved offer. The Suns and Heat are supposed to be at the top of KD’s list, but that gets complicated.

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Devin Booker, for example, is not available for the Nets at all, he signed an early contract extension in Phoenix in the summer and cannot be traded for the time being. In any case, KD wouldn’t have wanted Phoenix to give up Booker.

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So Booker will stay in Phoenix even if Durant comes. Since the Nets have given almost all of their picks to the Houston Rockets in the harden trade, they’ll want the same from the Suns, preferably those in the later years.

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It could end up with 3 first-round picks plus 2 pick swaps, even if Durant turns 34 in September. But he still has four years under contract. After all, how often does such a player with such a long running time come onto the market?

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The key could have been Deandre Ayton. But on the one hand, the Nets are said not to have been particularly interested in the center, on the other hand, the former restricted free agent has now also extended and may not be traded.

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That makes a deal for the Suns even more complicated. Otherwise, Phoenix actually only has Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cameron Johnson as trade assets in addition to the picks. It would have to be a 3 or 4 team trade.

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There are also difficulties with the Heat. Bam Adebayo can’t join the Nets because the CBA says a team can only trade for one player with a designated rookie extension, which the Nets already did with Ben Simmons. If Bam is here, Ben has to go.

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Alternatively, of course, a deal around Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro would be possible. However, Brooklyn is unlikely to be willing to take on a 36-year-old point guard with $58m over 2 years left.

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Will the Toronto Raptors be on KD’s list? We don’t know, but TOR could offer quite an interesting package. Siakam (35.4 million), VanVleet (21.3) or Anunoby (17.3) – the Raptors have a lot to offer.

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Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes seems to be an obstacle in the negotiations with the Raptors. The Nets would certainly like to have it in exchange, but the Raptors don’t seem willing to give up the gem.

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And what about the Lakers? Brian Windhorst (ESPN) at least didn’t want to rule out that the Lakers could also find a way to acquire Durant AND Kyrie Irving at the same time.

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There should really only be one way to do that, and that’s by sending both Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis to the Barclays Center. That would probably blow up the internet.

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A slightly less realistic scenario would be a trade to Memphis. For example, the Grizzlies could offer Jaren Jackson Jr. and then let the Nets choose which young players they want.

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The choice would be huge. Ziaire Williams, Brandon Clarke, Desmond Bane – there are numerous possibilities. But we dare to doubt that Durant wants to play in Memphis.

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The Mavs were also named as one of the teams inquiring about Durant. But that’s not realistic, after all, the Mavs themselves have hardly any picks and no real assets with which to make a deal palatable to the Nets.

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And what about a return to the Golden State? Corresponding rumors kept coming up, the Dubs veterans are said not to have rejected the idea. But Golden State apparently does not want to sell off the young silverware.

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On the other hand, it would look better in OKC. They have enough young players, even a young star in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. But even with Durant, OKC probably wouldn’t be competing for the title.

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By the way, we also think this clumsy attempt by top pick Paolo Banchero from Orlando is cute. We guarantee that won’t happen.

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CONCLUSION: It remains exciting. A Durant trade is likely to be difficult, especially if KD really prefers PHX or MIA. The Nets are said to want to sell KD to the highest bidder, but that’s not usually how it works in the NBA.

Brooklyn Nets: Lakers jagen Kyrie Irving

The entire squad is now up for grabs with the Nets. With “one of the most valuable trade assets of all time”, as Woj Duant describes, a historical equivalent should also be generated. There is much to suggest that Irving could also leave in the event of a Durant trade.

Windhorst even brought up the option that the Lakers could acquire both Irving and Durant in one package. However, it is completely unclear how this should happen given the Lakers’ difficult cap situation.

Durant and Irving joined the Nets almost exactly three years ago, but played just 58 games together including the playoffs. Brooklyn only won a single playoff series. In the past season, it swung against the Boston Celtics, which was a bitter disappointment.