Getty Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz in action against Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are caught in a tough spot this offseason as they have to not only deal with a Kevin Durant trade request, but they have to also find a way to field a competitive roster for the next season.
With Donovan Mitchell now being available in trade talks, the Nets could find a way to acquire him to keep on building their super team. With Durant still on the roster, perhaps convincing him Brooklyn is his best shot at winning a title is correct move for them, and what better way than making a swing for Mitchell?
Obviously, that would take a lot to make happen, and it might actually be impossible for the Nets to meet the asking price of the Jazz. After the Rudy Gobert haul, the trade market is all out of whack, and that’s could be part of the problem the Nets have had in finding a trade that works for them.
Too Steep
Back in July, Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported the Nets inquired about a trade for Mitchell, but the Jazz turned them down.
“I know that Brooklyn at least inquired in the early stages of Durant’s trade request and Rudy Gobert’s deal to Minnesota to see if (Donovan Mitchell) was available, and they were told then that Donovan was not,” he said on the “Please Don’t Aggregate This” podcast. “Obviously, things have changed now.”
Despite the shift, the Nets don’t seem to have the assets necessary to pull off a trade according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. While the Nets have Kyrie Irving and Durant, it seems like the Jazz are more interested in future draft picks.
“There’s a belief it’ll take five or even six first-round draft picks to land Mitchell,” Scotto reports.
The Nets have next to no future draft picks, and they even gave one up in the Royce O’Neale trade the same day Durant requested a trade. While landing Mitchell would firmly put the Nets in the title discussion, it seems like a difficult thing for them to pull off.
Instead, Brooklyn has to focus on keeping Durant happy and in town, something that might’ve been done this week.
Durant Meets With Owner
According to Heavy.com’s Steve Bulpett, Durant met with Nets owner Joe Tsai about his request this week, and it had to do with the ongoing trade request.
“What I’m hearing is that KD is going to meet with the owner this week,” an NBA executive told Bulpett. “He’s going to go directly to the owner, Joe Tsai, sometime this week. We’ll see how that works.”
There’s been no information about the meeting outside of it happening, so it’s not exactly clear about what came out of it. As far as we know, Durant still wants out of Brooklyn, but it seems increasingly unclear if the Nets are willing to deal him.
If the Celtics offer of Jaylen Brown was unable to move the needle, it’s not clear what will get them to change their mind.
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