All summer long, NBA fans have been on the edge of their seats waiting for Kevin Durant to be traded from the Brooklyn Nets. After requesting a trade in July, Kevin Durant sent the NBA into a frenzy. The expected trade was drastically changing NBA championship odds, as a number of teams were rumored to get the ten-time all-star.
Since then, the waters have calmed on the Kevin Durant talk. However, there are a number of teams still linked to the former MVP.
The Suns
The Phoenix Suns were at first the favorite to land Kevin Durant. When Durant originally requested a trade, the Suns were one of the two teams he preferred to be traded to. However, the Nets made it clear they would need the likes of Devin Booker in return, and the Suns kindly rejected the offer by signing Booker to a Super Max contract.
Many speculated the Nets would get desperate and trade Durant in return for Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton, a few additional role players, or picks. Since the initial news, however, trade discussions from these teams have gone backward. As of now, there is no indication of these teams discussing trades.
The Celtics
The Boston Celtics are one of the favorites to get Durant as of now. The Celtics were openly in trade discussions for Kevin Durant, while in return, they would give the Nets Jalen Brown and another role player, possibly even Marcus Smart.
Many experts were quick to judge the Celtics, as they are fresh off a trip to the NBA Finals and the favorites to win the title. Brown was the Celtics’ best performer in the playoffs.
Since the news broke that the teams were engaged in conversation, few trade talks have been open to the public, that is, if there are any.
The Jazz
The newest team to be in the discussion for Kevin Durant, according to Shams. After months of discussing trading Donaven Mitchell to the Knicks, the Utah Jazz now appear to be engaging in conversation with the Nets.
The Utah Jazz traded away 3-time Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert, away this off-season in return for five picks. Between the picks and Mitchell, that should be plenty to trade to Brooklyn in exchange for Durant.
However, Utah is clearly blowing up their roster and collecting picks in hopes of a rebuild, and the addition of Kevin Durant would not make sense for a team in this situation. Unless the Jazz pulled a three-team trade-off and somehow acquired another top-tier player from a third party, this is unlikely the trade will transpire.
The Warriors
If Kevin Durant really wanted to stir the NBA pot, taking his talents back to Golden State would do just that.
The stars are aligned nearly perfectly for Kevin Durant. The Warriors have the most tradable assets for the Nets, while Kevin Durant would return to a team he has already won two championships with.
In order for this to work, the Warriors would need to send back some sort of combination of these players: Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, James Weisman, Jordan Poole, Draymond Green, or Klay Thompson.
For a team that just won the NBA championship, the Warriors have a boatload of young tradable talent on their roster. The Warriors could easily put together a trade package too good for the Nets to resist. Some believe the Warriors would trade Wiggins, but he was clearly their second-best player in the playoffs this postseason. Trading him would leave a major defensive hold on the team.
However, Kevin Durant left Golden State because he wanted to create his own team. Going back to Dub Nation would look like a dog walking with his tail tucked to hind behind his owner to the media. He would be heavily criticized and laughed at by fans, but Kevin Durant has never been much of a people pleaser anyway.
