Nets Offered Blockbuster Trade for $163 Million 2-Time All-Star: Report

Getty The Brooklyn Nets received a blockbuster trade offer for Ben Simmons (right).

More details are emerging about the end of the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving era with the Brooklyn Nets as front office decisions that were made are drawing scrutiny in the aftermath of both blockbuster deals. Over the offseason, the Nets turned down a possible blockbuster trade offer featuring Heat star center Bam Adebayo, per New York Daily News’ Kristian Winfield. The move would have been part of a three-team trade involving Donovan Mitchell, but the Nets opted to keep Ben Simmons instead, a decision that could prove to be regrettable for general manager Sean Marks.

“The Nets had an opportunity to get involved in the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes, according to a source familiar with the Nets’ attempts to add talent to the roster this offseason,” Winfield wrote on February 9, 2023. “A source told the Daily News in October there was framework for a deal that would have sent Simmons to Utah, Mitchell to Miami and Bam Adebayo to Brooklyn.

“It was the Nets who declined, and Simmons, due to lingering back issues that have impacted the integrity of his knee, has yet to string together an extended, impactful stretch of games. Head coach Jacque Vaughn is still working on getting Simmons to give his all for all the minutes he’s on the court.”

Bam Adebayo Would Have Given the Nets a Legitimate Big 3 Alongside KD & Kyrie

Adebayo would have given the Nets a legitimate third option to play alongside Irving and Durant, something Simmons was unable to become. The Heat center is averaging 21.8 points, ten rebounds and 3.2 assists per game during his first 50 starts this season.

The two-time All-Star is on a five-year, $163 million contract that runs through the 2025-26 season and has a $30.3 million salary for 2023. By comparison, Simmons has a massive five-year, $177 million deal that still has two more seasons remaining beyond 2023. The Nets guard has a $35.4 million salary for 2022-23.

Kevin Durant Became ‘Frustrated’ With How Nets Treated Ben Simmons Compared to Kyrie Irving

The full details of what led to Durant’s desire to be traded remain a bit foggy, but it has become clear that Simmons’ presence on the roster did not increase Brooklyn’s chances of keeping the superstar happy. Durant became “frustrated” by how the franchise treated Simmons when compared to a more hardline stance the Nets took during Irving’s brief tenure, per Winfield.

“Durant was frustrated by the trade that sent Harden to Philadelphia for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond,” Winfield added. “Specifically, he became frustrated with Simmons, who has received more lenience in a shorter period of time than Irving, despite providing significantly less production in his minutes on the floor.

“Durant and Simmons’ timelines never aligned: Simmons was always going to be a longer-term reclamation project given his history of both mental health issues and back injuries.”

In the end, the Irving-Durant era in Brooklyn was over before it got started. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that Irving could be interested in joining Durant with the Suns this offseason. Irving will be a free agent this summer, and it remains to be seen if Dallas will become a long-term home for the star guard.