Getty Kevin Durant and LeBron James defend Stephen Curry during the final seconds of the fourth quarter during the 2018 NBA All-Star Game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on February 18, 2018.
It would be hard to compile a list of the top players in the NBA today and not have Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James on the list. Despite their respective teams having disappointing seasons in 2021-22, LeBron and Durant had great individual seasons as they were named All-Star captains.
But the ultimate goal for both superstars at this point in their careers is to win championships. While both LeBron and Durant have won a title in the last five seasons, both stars are entering the latter years of their thirties and need to strike while the iron is hot.
After requesting a trade from the Nets before the start of free agency, Durant could command one of the biggest trade packages of all time. With the Lakers and Nets already having conversations on a deal that would bring Kyrie Irving to Los Angeles, and a looming decision on LeBron’s player option to be decided in the coming days, there is a scenario where Durant and LeBron could end up teammates in Brooklyn.
But NBA Analyst Chris Broussard says that LeBron isn’t necessarily interested in teaming up with Durant.
“No, because I talked to somebody close to LeBron, and LeBron would not want this to happen,” Broussard said on the potential of a Durant, LeBron duo on the July 14 edition of FS1’s “Undisputed”.
“And I think the Lakers respect him enough that they’ll do what he wants to do. If he doesn’t want to be traded, I don’t think they’ll trade him. Obviously, he wants to win a championship, but he’s not desperate to the point where he’s going to uproot his family in a place where he’s happy to go somewhere where he doesn’t want to be.”
.@Chris_Broussard doesn’t see a LeBron and KD trade swap as a real possibility:
“I talked with someone close to LeBron and he would not want this to happen. The Lakers respect LeBron enough that they’ll do what he wants to do.”
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Nets Not Close to Durant Trade as Season Draws Nearer
The basketball world was shell shocked upon the news of Durant requesting a trade out of Brooklyn on June 30. But while rumors of potential landing spots for Durant have continuously swirled, the Nets are no closer to a deal for the star forward than when he first made the request.
The main reason trade talks have hit an apparent standstill is because Nets owner Joe Tsai and general manager Sean Marks have made their intentions clear on executing a trade for Durant. They have affirmed they will not trade him unless they get a substantial return for their franchise player.
And with Durant suffering long-term injuries in back-to-back seasons and creeping up on his mid-thirties, teams have been reluctant to surrender to the Nets’ terms in a potential deal.
Nets Could Give Durant Best Opportunity at Title
Durant should survey the land when it comes to his trade request. Even if the Nets do send him to one of his preferred destinations, there is a good possibility the team they send him to will look significantly different upon his arrival. With what the Nets are considering a fair haul for Durant, landing the star forward would be like starting a rebuild with him as the centerpiece.
For the team that lands him, it works out just fine as Durant is one of the best players in the world, and possibly NBA history. The opportunity to have a player of his caliber on a roster doesn’t come around often, and when you have a chance to do it, you do everything you can to get a deal done.
But for Durant, it is about more than just playing for a team other than the Nets. He has reached a point in his career where every season is championship or bust. When you look at the Nets’ current roster that has key players in Joe Harris, Seth Curry, and Ben Simmons returning fully healthy, and the additions of Royce O’Neale and TJ Warren, staying in Brooklyn might give him the best chance to win a championship.
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