There has been no traction on any Kevin Durant commerce now greater than two-and-a-half weeks faraway from his June 30 request for the Nets to deal him to one in every of his most well-liked locations.
The newest updates from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski don’t present a lot new data: The Nets need the kitchen sink, the range and oven, the fridge, the island and the floorboards in any deal for the two-time NBA Finals MVP, and most groups have been unwilling to fulfill Brooklyn’s asking value as a result of doing so might very nicely take away them from championship competition after buying Durant in a commerce.
Which means the Nets and Durant could possibly be in stalemate territory: It’s unclear if Durant would contemplate rescinding his commerce request and returning to Brooklyn amicably. If he’s agency in his request out of Brooklyn, this example might drag into September coaching camp. Remember: The Rockets infamously dragged James Harden’s commerce request into the common season earlier than Harden made issues awkward in media availabilities. Houston ultimately conceded and traded Harden to Brooklyn.
But it price the Nets immensely: Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince had been concerned within the Harden deal, as had been the rights to each recognizable draft decide by means of 2026. Rudy Gobert’s commerce to Minnesota and Dejounte Murray’s commerce to Atlanta reset the commerce market. Few if any groups have the sources to drag off a deal for Durant and nonetheless have the items to compete for a championship.
“Brooklyn has an owner in Joe Tsai who, in my sense, is not interested in taking a diminished trade package to just move [Kevin Durant] on,” Wojnarowski mentioned on ESPN’s Get Up on Monday. “And I think as long as you have an owner committed to getting the type of trade package you want, you can play this out over time, and that’s my sense in Brooklyn.”
Woj additionally mentioned the Miami Heat stay “a very motivated team” within the Durant sweepstakes, however a take care of Miami stays difficult and would seemingly require two extra groups as a result of so long as Ben Simmons is on Brooklyn’s roster, the Nets can not purchase Bam Adebayo (or Donovan Mitchell) as a result of collective bargaining settlement guidelines on gamers who signal rookie max contract extensions.
Durant’s path to Phoenix, which the Daily News reported was his most well-liked commerce vacation spot, has additionally been difficult now that the Suns have matched Deandre Ayton’s $133M supply sheet, the most important in NBA historical past. Now that Phoenix has matched Indiana’s supply, the Suns can not commerce Ayton till Jan. 15, can not commerce him to Indiana for a 12 months, and can’t commerce him anyplace with out his consent.
The Toronto Raptors have been unwilling to commerce reigning Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes in a deal for Durant, which is a nonstarter for Brooklyn.
“There are still other teams out there,” Wojnarowski mentioned. “There’s no deal imminent for Brooklyn, but they are still trying to find a trade for Durant.”
The threat, nonetheless, comes into play the nearer the Nets creep towards coaching camp, and on Monday, the crew introduced its four-game, early-October preseason schedule: Oct. 3 in Brooklyn in opposition to James Harden, Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers; Oct. 6 in Brooklyn in opposition to the Miami Heat; Oct. 12 in Milwaukee in opposition to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks; and Oct. 14 in Minnesota in opposition to Karl-Anthony Towns and the Timberwolves.
Is Durant the kind of participant who, when met with an unrealized commerce request, will pull a Ben Simmons? Will Durant no-show coaching camp? Will he hold-out and put strain on the Nets entrance workplace to maneuver him?
And will opposing groups weaken their gives if this example turns into extra poisonous when all events return from trip to kickstart the season in Brooklyn?
The longer the Nets wait to strike a deal, the extra susceptible they change into to getting off to a poor begin to the season if a disgruntled star is in a metropolis he now not desires to symbolize.
JOB NOT FINISHED
The Nets are usually not completed constructing their roster, even when Durant was to remain. Brooklyn acquired TJ Warren and Edmond Sumner in free company and traded a 2023 first-round decide to Utah for three-and-D wing Royce O’Neale, however the Nets nonetheless have their taxpayer mid-level exception accessible.
That mid-level exception is price a most of $20M over a three-year deal and will be break up between a number of free brokers. As it stands, Brooklyn’s largest remaining want is depth on the middle and on the level guard spot with Andre Drummond and Goran Dragic each leaving for the Chicago Bulls.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com