Getty Image / Maddie Meyer
After Kevin Durant trade talks had stalled for the last month and a half, making sure a KD trade gets done has recently seemed to become the only option for the Brooklyn Nets.
Durant reportedly met with the Nets’ owner and indicated a lack of faith in the organization, requesting that head coach Steve Nash and GM Sean Marks be fired. Then, a report surfaced that Durant would rather retire than continue playing with the Nets.
Now, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, there is a frontrunner to land Durant.
Back from vacay with a Kevin Durant piece to help pass the time in these dog days of summer…
A historical look at star player trade demands: Average timeline before resolution, contract trends and how execs see the KD/Nets situation now, @TheAthletichttps://t.co/IC0ccKxj4p
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) August 16, 2022
Among the executives with whom I spoke, a Boston deal with Jaylen Brown as the centerpiece appears to be the unofficial front-runner here
This report happened to come out on the same day that Durant was photographed practicing with Jayson Tatum, which is sure to fuel speculation about KD joining the Boston Celtics.
KD and Tatum in the lab together 🤝
(📸: @bredhampton) pic.twitter.com/1wj1IgayC0
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) August 16, 2022
The Celtics also seem to have provided the Nets with a starting point for any trade negotiations they have with other teams around the league. Now that the Celtics have offered their 2nd best players as part of a deal for Durant, the Nets are reportedly only entertaining trade offers involving other teams’ 2nd best players.
However, if the Nets are finally willing to have reasonable trade negotiations, this move has plenty of appeal for both sides. Having Durant take Jaylen Brown’s place on a Boston Celtics roster that just made it to the NBA Finals and then added Malcolm Brogdon should make them pretty clear favorites to win a ring next season.
At just 25 years old, Brown would join Ben Simmons as the centerpieces of the Nets’ rebuild as the team moves on from their failed attempt to contend with KD and Kyrie Irving.
With Kevin Durant seemingly set on not playing for the Nets next season, this could be as good as it gets for the Brooklyn Nets.
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