Getty Steph Curry guards Kevin Durant in a December 2021 game.
Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant came to the Nets to prove that he could build a culture in Brooklyn and ultimately win a title without the services of the Golden State Warriors. But Durant will be 34 years old in September, and his championship window could soon be closing. That window could become even smaller without the services of Kyrie Irving, who can opt out of the final year of his contract and become a free agent this summer. Dalton Trigg of “Sports Illustrated” says that if the Durant we’re to force his way out of Brooklyn, the Dallas Mavericks could be a viable option.
“After assembling a superstar trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden 16 months ago, many expected the Nets to be the NBA’s next dynasty. Instead, Brooklyn is closer to being a disaster … and the Dallas Mavericks might be in an ideal position to take advantage of that,” Trigg writes per “Sports Illustrated”.
“If Durant does end up demanding a trade to a better situation, the Mavericks should be one of the top teams on his list. Not only do the Mavs have a bona fide 23-year-old superstar in Luka Doncic, but they also already have a solid, championship-level defensive foundation and a high-quality coaching staff. Dallas has the contracts to make such a blockbuster trade work financially, and it could also help the Nets replenish some future trade assets if a complete rebuild is imminent.”
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Mavericks Have Good Foundation for the Future
Despite trading All-Star center Kristaps Porzingis, and losing their key guard Tim Hardaway Jr to injury, the Mavericks defeated the top-seeded Phoenix Suns to advance to this year’s Western Conference Finals. While the Mavericks are currently down 3-1, and the Warriors have proved to be a lot to handle, the Mavs have proved that they already have the foundation to be future title contenders. Adding a player of Durant’s caliber could accelerate that timeline.
“As the Mavs have proven in this playoff run to the Western Conference finals, they likely don’t need Durant in order to win a title in the coming years — smaller moves to increase the team’s depth would suffice,” Trigg continues.
“But if GM Nico Harrison is looking to aim for the stars, he might want to keep his telescope focused on what’s going on in Brooklyn just in case.”
Durant Had High Praise for Luka Doncic in the Past
A potential Durant to the Mavericks trade would pair the two-time NBA Finals MVP with Luka Doncic, who was named to the All-NBA first team this season. In a 2021 episode of “The ETCs” Durant had high praise for the Mavericks superstar.
“He plays at a nice pace that’s why I think he can make the shots that way. Like those crazy shots that he be making, the passes that he throws it feels like he is just walking on the track. You know how when rappers just like easily cruise on the track and it’s like damn this n**** is just talking? That’s how Doncic is. Like he’s just smooth out there, he’s seeing everything before it even happens, he takes every pass that he wants it is just a nice pace,” Durant said.
“He gets you up in the air because everybody is pressing him, he might get a foul on one play, boom now you loosened up, now he gets into the paint and pump fakes you, you jump and he pump fakes you again because he moves so slow, one leg fade you know his pace is so incredible to me.”
Despite being ransacked by injuries by injuries, Luka was able to propel the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals. He will only get better from here, and if he continues to trend upwards, he could go down as one of the All-Time greats.
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