Getty LeBron James would love to play with Kevin Durant (center).
Despite Kyrie Irving’s opting in to the final year of his deal with the Brooklyn Nets, the future of Kevin Durant should have the attention of the Los Angeles Lakers. Things could still go south between Irving and the Nets, which would open the door for Durant to push for a trade. Before Irving opted in, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on June 23 that Durant was “monitoring the Brooklyn Nets’ situation and considering options with his future.”
Bookies.com’s Adam Thompson put together hypothetical odds for Durant’s next team if the star ultimately decides to push his way out of Brooklyn. The Lakers are tied for third in the odds at +800 just behind the Miami Heat, who are slated at +500 as the favorite along with LA rival Clippers who are runner-up at +550.
Durant’s four-year, $194 million contract commits the forward to Brooklyn through the 2025-26 season. Yet, as we saw with stars like James Harden and Ben Simmons this season, a long-term contract will not prevent a top player from pushing for a trade elsewhere.
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NBA GM on Durant to Lakers: ‘Never Say Never’
Unless Irving ends up requesting a trade, it is reasonable to expect Durant to remain content with the Nets. There is no guarantee Irving will not be traded prior to the deadline if the rocky relationship with the Nets continues, and the point guard will become a free agent in 2023 which could re-open the door for Durant to once again be “considering options with his future,” as Charania indicated.
For the Lakers to have a chance at Durant, general manager Rob Pelinka would have to be willing to trade Anthony Davis, a move that could anger the Klutch Sports agency, which has serious pull within the franchise. During an early June conversation with Heavy.com NBA insider Sean Deveney, one Western Conference general manager discussed the “earthquake kind of trade” the Lakers would need to pull off to land Durant.
“Going the other way, if Durant wants to go to the Lakers, that gets harder,” the NBA exec said at the time. “He is signed through (2026), so you’ve got to make a trade and the only thing they can do would be Anthony Davis for KD. I think LeBron feels some responsibility for getting Davis to Los Angeles, and he wants that to work, so there’s not much chance they would trade him.
“But if Davis can go play with Kyrie, who he is close with, maybe that changes the math on that. It’s an earthquake kind of trade and it’s a slim chance. But if Durant is really unhappy and they can get everyone on the same page, maybe it works for everyone. Never say never in this league.”
Woj: Nets Arę Vulnerable to a KD Trade Request Depending on Kyrie’s Future
The Nets’ core of stars appears safe for now, but the franchise is anything but stable. If Irving has a change of heart and pushes for a trade, Durant could be prompted to once again consider his future. Prior to Irving’s decision to opt-in, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Nets were “vulnerable to a Kevin Durant trade request” with teams “preparing to pursue” the superstar. Brooklyn is clearly less vulnerable with Irving back for another season but the situation remains fluid.
“The uncertainty surrounding Irving’s future with the Nets continues to leave the franchise vulnerable to a Kevin Durant trade request, but that has yet to materialize, sources said,” Wojnarowski wrote on June 27. “Durant has four years left on his contract and remains an advocate for the Nets to commit to a long-term deal for Irving, sources said. Numerous teams around the league are preparing to pursue Durant, one of the elite players in the sport, if he becomes available.”
If the Nets do reluctantly consider Durant trades, the deal would likely start with what the Pelicans landed for Anthony Davis in 2019, The Athletic’s Alex Schiffer reported. The Lakers big man would be better than any player the Pelicans netted, so it would be interesting to see a hypothetical framework for a blockbuster LA deal.
“As for a Durant return, I asked a league source a few days ago about such a deal and the reply was, ‘Look up the Anthony Davis trade to the Lakers and start there,'” Schiffer detailed on June 27.
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