Getty Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics.
When the news came down that Kevin Durant had requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns were listed as his top two destinations. But despite Durant’s trade request, and the Nets’ vow to honor it, there has been little traction on any deal for the Nets star.
But on July 25, trade talks were reignited after the Boston Celtics trade offer to the Nets for Durant was revealed by Shams Charania of “The Athletic”.
“The Celtics offered [Jaylen] Brown, guard Derrick White and a draft pick to the Nets for Durant, sources said. The proposal was rejected,“ Charania said. “Brooklyn has asked Boston — in any proposal — to include Brown, Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, draft picks, and potentially one more rotation player, those sources added.”
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel says that the revelation of Boston’s trade offer essentially took every other team out of the running for KD.
“First, it’s all speculation at this point when it comes to the names that are or aren’t being offered. And even then, it’s a matter of the overall packages. But, yes, I’m not sure any of the remaining permutations for Kevin Durant (particularly now that the Suns can’t offer Deandre Ayton) come close to a centerpiece such as Jaylen Brown,” Winderman writes.
“The question becomes whether such a leak comes as a means to get Toronto to offer more (Scottie Barnes?) or perhaps for the Heat to up the ante (Bam Adebayo?). This is what happens when there is no deadline. The Nets don’t have to move Durant.”
The latest Nets news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Nets newsletter here!
Heat Are Limited in What They Can Offer Nets
If the Nets were to make a deal with the Heat, it is not likely they would recoup talent that would be able to help them win now. The Heat are not going to make their franchise player Jimmy Butler available, and Bam Adebayo cannot be traded unless the Heat take back Ben Simmons because both players are on rookie contract extensions.
With that knowledge, Miami’s trade offer for Durant is likely to be centered around Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro and draft picks. Winderman says it is a deal that the Nets cannot accept.
“If the offer is Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, salary filler, and picks, the Nets can’t take that offer, even if it means having to deal with a particularly persnickety Kevin Durant during training camp,” Winderman continues.
“If the Nets can get Jaylen Brown, one more Celtics rotation component, and picks, that’s a pretty good place to start.”
Will KD Trade Ever Happen?
As the NBA offseason approaches its final stages and inches closer to the start of training camp, the Nets are no closer to trading KD than they were when he made his request on June 30.
Trading a superstar talent like KD is extremely difficult because the Nets are not likely to find a fair trade, and teams are not willing to part ways with an exorbitant amount of assets as he enters the latter end of his 30s.
With the addition of Royce O’Neale and TJ Warren, along with Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, and Joe Harris returning next season, Brooklyn may give KD the best opportunity to win the title.
READ NEXT: LeBron James Associate Reignites Kyrie Irving to Lakers Trade Rumors