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Despite being three weeks into the 2022-23 NBA season, the Brooklyn Nets are nearly back where they left off this summer. After Kyrie Irving shared a controversial film containing antisemitic and false ideas in it he was served a suspension due to his lack of apology. Irving has since apologized following his suspension, and some believe he’s played his last game for the Brooklyn Nets. It has been a tug-of-war of power between the Nets management and Irving and Kevin Durant. When the Nets publicly condemned Irving’s social media post, it seemed to reignite that battle. Durant even seemed to take exception to the Nets sharing their stance publicly.
“I’m not here to judge somebody or talk down on their life or how they feel their views. I just didn’t like anything that went on,” Durant told reporters on November 4, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “I felt like it was all unnecessary. I felt like we could have just kept playing basketball and kept quiet as an organization.”
Could Kevin Durant be on the Trade Block Again?
Not only Durant’s statement but the drama circling again in Brooklyn have started trade rumors for the Nets story again. Sam Amick of The Athletic recently shared quotes from a GM that speculated that there is no way that Durant wants to remain in Brooklyn.
“I just can’t imagine KD wanting to be there, not because of his relationship with Kyrie but because the level of talent that’s going to be on that roster at this point in his career [will be subpar],” a front office executive told The Athletic’s Sam Amick. “I don’t see him saying, ‘Yeah, let me stick it out here and just be the eighth seed in the East for the next three years.'”
With that, Durant has been attached to a number of teams in trade rumors, but one that could have the most potential came from Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley that linked the superstar to his hometown Washington Wizards. In the deal, the Nets receive not only a potential All-Star but also young players with upside and multiple draft picks.
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Kristaps Porzingis, Deni Avdija, Johnny Davis, a 2025 first-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2029 first-round pick and three first-round pick swaps
Washington Wizards Receive: Kevin Durant
Porzingis certainly isn’t the player that he once was, Buckley looks at him as a player that could be moved again as part of their rebuild. The good young prospects could help kick-start everything in Brooklyn as well.
Buckley on the Proposed Deal
In his column, Buckley further broke down the proposed deal and why he believes it makes sense for the Nets.
“As for the Nets, a Durant deal should plunge them into a rebuild. Irving would seemingly be out as soon as Brooklyn found a taker, and who knows whether Simmons would remain in its plans. Long-term assets would trump all else, and Washington should have no trouble forking over as many as possible; goosing this offer with extra picks or prospects would absolutely be in play.
Porzingis is the Wizards’ easiest money-matcher, and the Nets could convince themselves he’d be movable down the line for more assets. The picks and swaps would be the biggest prize, but these prospects—or others, such as Rui Hachimura and Corey Kispert—could fill roles for the franchise,” Buckley wrote.
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