Kevin Durant Got What He Wanted. Now What?
Kevin Durant is the reason why the offseason is currently drier than the Mojave. Today, I wanted to review what’s next for KD & co.
Kevin Durant did what he did best to start free agency; drop a bombshell. It’s been almost a week since he requested a trade. NBA free agency has since ground to a standstill. The whole league is simply waiting. Durant appears to have all the leverage in the world. Or does he?
Blame Pie
Do you want to know the best part of this whole fiasco in Brooklyn? The stars who are currently unhappy asked for all of this. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have no reason to hold any grudge against the Nets. Think about it.
Who wanted an aging Deandre Jordan in 2019? Not Nets management. Instead, Jordan got a four year deal. That move made no basketball sense. But, Brooklyn’s new duo wanted him, and they got him. This is a trend you’ll see a lot more.
When the Nets abruptly fired Kenny Atkinson, one of the ten best coaches in the league, who’s idea was that? KD and Kyrie played just 26 games in 2020, and they still got a coach fired. Atkinson’s replacement? KD’s old pal Steve Nash.
When James Harden requested a trade, who wanted him, exactly? I don’t think Sean Marks wanted to trade away his budding young players plus picks until 2050 for a declining Harden. But where did Harden end up? Brooklyn. All because KD and Kyrie wanted him. You get the point here.
Everything these two wanted, they got. So when KD and Kyrie complain about their situation, it’s hilarious. They can’t comprehend that they caused this mess by themselves. This is what Brooklyn’s blame pie looks like;
Now, Sean Marks was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He couldn’t say no to his new superstar duo. Durant and Irving were supposed to bring the Nets to relevance. They never would have signed together if they weren’t getting some control. I get that.
But, doing everything the Nets did for those two was painfully stupid. At some point, Marks had to draw the line. I don’t know where that line is, but Marks hasn’t been criticized enough this past week.
And then there’s Joe Tsai, sneakily one of the more powerful NBA owners in the league. Tsai wants the Nets to be relevant, but he’s also kind of a nut. He’s fired two CEOs in three years. Tsai is the poster child for overambitious owners.
They don’t understand what it takes to win a title. Instead, they want everything to happen overnight. We could be seeing a similar thing in Minnesota. Regardless, there’s a lot of blame to go around in Brooklyn right now.
But, at the end of the day, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving only have themselves to blame.
Kevin Durant Trade Destinations
It’s been a week since KD asked out of Brooklyn. Since then, we’ve had basically new information about anything. We know the Nets would only move Durant for a haul in return. But, with the minor moves they’ve been making on the side, there aren’t too many enticing offers out there.
Teams like Phoenix, Miami, Toronto, Golden State, and Portland have been mentioned in the KD sweepstakes. But it’s been a week, and things are as quiet as ever. And I think things are going to stay that way.
Rebuilding teams like OKC or Orlando won’t give up their young cores for Durant, no matter how good he is. Contending squads like Boston or Milwaukee are fine with what they have. Other teams like Memphis or Dallas seem good in theory, but would Durant risk even more blowback for joining a playoff-ready squad? Maybe, maybe not.
As of right now, three teams are in the KD sweepstakes. New Orleans, Phoenix, and Toronto. Let’s go over these options, shall we?
The New Orleans Pelicans Have The Offer, But Not The Need
If I were Sean Marks and the Nets front office, New Orleans would be my dream trade destination. Not only are you sending Durant to another conference, the potential return would be massive. The Pels have a boatload of picks from the Lakers and Bucks thanks to the AD and Holiday trades, respectively.
On top of that, they have enticing young talent. If the Nets really wanted to blow things up, it would be hard to find a better deal;
Brandon Ingram
Larry Nance Jr
Trey Murphy III
2023 FRP (via LAL)
2024 FRPs (via MIL and LAL)
2025 FRP (via MIL)
Brooklyn would be getting back major draft capital, an All-Star in Brandon Ingram, and a young piece in Trey Murphy. I suppose the Nets may not settle for anything less than Zion, but I don’t see him getting moved in a potential KD-megadeal.
On the flip side, New Orleans wouldn’t be sacrificing any of their own picks. Instead, in a nutshell, they’d be replacing Brandon Ingram with Kevin Durant. But would the Pelicans really do this? They’re a young, up-and-coming team in the West.
Last year’s playoff success has them on the right path. But New Orleans doesn’t even know what they are right now. They’ve never seen the Williamson-Ingram-McCollum core play together. This move wouldn’t make any sense.
New Orleans is still scarred by the Anthony Davis fiasco a few years ago. I’m not sure they want to deal with another superstar like that. Sorry, KD.
The Toronto Raptors Won’t Give Up Scottie
A few days ago, we learned that Toronto was “lurking” in the KD sweepstakes. That’s creepy – but not the point. Toronto is a very likely KD trade destination.
Masai Ujiri is one of the best executives in the NBA. He’s not afraid to swing big moves for superstars. Toronto wouldn’t have won it all in 2019 if not for Kawhi Leonard. Given that the Raptors are far from a contender, adding Durant doesn’t seem like the worst option in the world.
From Siakam to Anunoby, there’s a lot of room for potential trades. There’s just one minor problem. Scottie Barnes. The reigning rookie of the year is the only game-changer on Toronto’s roster. Barnes is just the type of player you’d want in return for a superstar. But Barnes isn’t available. I’m not reporting that – it’s just the facts. So, there’s a new question Brooklyn has to ask themselves.
Would they trade Kevin Durant, a top fifteen player ever, for those above average role players? If the return isn’t Scottie Barnes, are you really getting your money’s worth? Probably not.
Going To Phoenix Is A Deathwish For Both Parties
The last realistic team I see KD going to is Phoenix. Remember them? It’s amazing how a few months can change the outlook of a franchise. With Deandre Ayton all but gone, the Suns have to retool. To squeeze out a ring with CP-3, they’ll have to swing for the fences.
Their title window is rapidly closing. A player like Durant could give them another year or two. Sure, their owner is a cheap piece of (censored). And yes, Chris Paul is aging. But KD could be their saving grace.
(did I just say that? Yeah, I think I did…)
Ok. Now for the messy part. For starters, what’s going on with Deandre Ayton? The Nets don’t seem thrilled with paying him a max contract (nor does anybody else in the league), and it’s going to be hard to work a sign-and-trade for him on top of trying to move Durant.
Now, let’s say the two sides work out a deal. Whether that involves pieces like Mikal Bridges or not, who knows? For a moment, let’s say Kevin Durant lands in Phoenix. Now what? Chris Paul is aging, and the Suns aren’t exactly top-notch in the West.
They got exposed by a simple Mavericks scheme in the second round. Other teams are deeper and more talented than they are. Adding Durant certainly doesn’t make them the overwhelming favorites. There’s also one more thing that’s worth mentioning.
Kevin Durant left the Golden State Warriors because they weren’t his team. No matter how well he played, Steph Curry would always be the face of the franchise. That disgruntled Durant so much that he decided to waste four years of his prime in Brooklyn.
Going to Phoenix would be the same thing. Suns fans are pretty loyal, so I don’t think they’re just going to hail Durant as their new savior. No, Phoenix is Devin Booker’s domain. He’s their bright, shining star. For Durant, going to Phoenix would be no different than joining the Suns.
Just a thought.
Does KD Actually Have Leverage?
Ok, back to reality. Durant has gone radio silent from everybody since requesting a trade. Other star players haven’t been allowed to pitch to him. Brooklyn hasn’t heard anything, either. That’s like farting in an elevator and then just leaving.
The Nets don’t have many options at getting a fair package in return for Kevin Durant. I don’t think anybody will meet their demands. That’s why the Nets have been making small moves on the side. TJ Warren and Royce O’Neale are solid wing depth pickups.
I don’t see a world where Kevin Durant gets traded. He has no leverage. The Nets don’t have to cave into his demands. I think that Kyrie will get shipped off to the Lakers. Then, the newly acquired Russell Westbrook will be bought out. And then, Brooklyn will move forward. If KD decides not to play, so be it. But if he does, this roster is pretty competent;
Ben Simmons
Joe Harris
Royce O’Neale
Kevin Durant
Nic Claxton
Seth Curry
Patty Mills
TJ Warren
Cam Thomas
Day’Ron Sharpe
More size is needed, but that’s a top ten team in the East. A contender? No. But this roster is passable at best for 2023, which is fine for Brooklyn. Durant got the Nets into this mess, but they still want to win. KD remains one of the best players in the league, and Brooklyn desperately wants to win a ring.
Getting rid of Kyrie solves a lot of problems. But Durant? He’s not getting moved. I’ll bet a lot of money on that. So, for the foreseeable future, all we can do is wait. Wait and see what happens, if anything, in the land of chaos.
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