Getty Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets continue to explore the possibility of trading their franchise cornerstone Kevin Durant. Of course, the star has four years remaining on his contract in Brooklyn, and the team doesn’t want to move him but is looking to honor his request to be dealt. So far, no deal has been good enough to even gain traction for Durant. Because of that the growing rumor is that Durant may be staying in Brooklyn.
“They’re making moves and they’re doing things this offseason, in their mind, the preparation and operation, as if they’re bringing these two guys back next season and playing with these two guys,” Charania said. “I think they’re open in dialogue, and they’re open to teams like Toronto, Phoenix, Miami making offers, but until they get that price threshold met—which I’m told is All-Star type players, a boat load of draft picks—they’re not gonna move. This is what they’re telling teams: ‘We’re not going to move Kevin Durant until the price is met.'”
That quote from Charania was on July 5, and now over 12 days later, the odds of Durant returning to Brooklyn next season has only gone up. This could be good news, especially if you take into a recent bold prediction from NBA insider Logan Murdock about Durant’s next season.
Durant Will Have MVP Season Next Season
On the July 14 episode of The Real One’s podcast with Logan Murdock and Raja Bell, Murdock, who wrote a feature about KD in March, commented about the big expectations he has for Durant next season.
“I’m gonna have a hot take. I think next year, wherever Kevin Durant ends up, you’re going to have to put him in the MVP discussion,” Murdock said. “Because he is going to be hearing that ‘man, Jason Tatum took your lunch bro, you played like this, you did all this stuff,’ and you know all the talk that comes with him leaving Brooklyn. I think he is going to have a big year next year. I don’t know if that is going to lead to a title, but I think he is going to be in the MVP discussion.”
Murdock’s co-host, former NBA player Raja Bell commented that Durant is in the MVP conversation a lot and Murdock clarified by saying,
“No, I’m not talking about the one where you have to put him in the discussion because of the name. I think that he is going to be an on-court response from the man,” Murdock said. “The you got me f*cked up season is coming up.”
After the way last season ended and what the offseason has had for Kevin Durant, it isn’t hard to believe he will be coming in with something to prove next season. The Brooklyn Nets are hoping to have him on board for the season, and the MVP year he may have.
Status of Durant Trade
The status of a possible Durant deal remains unknown, but with the recent Deandre Ayton signing in Phoenix, it is likely that that deal won’t be done. Every discussion with the Toronto Raptors is stalling. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst commented on the situation on July 15, saying,
“As for Kevin Durant, here’s what there is: nothing. There is no movement here. The executives are leaving Summer League. The executives are going on vacation. At this point, the Nets’ preferred situation is for Kevin Durant to stay with them. There is no trade they’ve got that they like.
“A huge question and what the league is in some ways waiting for is what does Durant feel? He’s the one who asked for the trade. Have his feelings changed with some of the avenues for trades dimming?”
Will Durant change his mind and settle into his role in Brooklyn? If he does, their roster is ready to compete in the East, and if he is ready to play at an MVP caliber, it would be an exciting development for the Nets.