Rival Execs Seem To Think Nets Don’t Really Plan To Trade Kevin Durant

July 27, 2022

It’s true that the Nets have been active in talking to other teams about trades centered on Kevin Durant.

But will they actually trade him?

Given their asking price, which reportedly borders on absurd, opposing executives aren’t so sure, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. That’s especially the case after the news that the Celtics offered Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and a first-round draft pick for Durant.

That’s a fairly strong offer, but the Nets reportedly turned it down. It seems they wanted Marcus Smart from Boston, too.

What the Nets know and no one is really saying is that Durant comes with some risk. Granted, he’s under contract for four more years — but he also turns 34-years old in September, and has been a bit unpredictable.

He left a Thunder team that reached the Western Conference finals before losing to the Warriors. Then he left the Warriors after two titles and three straight trips to the Finals. It was his decision to join the Nets … and now he wants to leave them, too.

Why? It seems not even the Nets really understand.

And that may be why they may not be taking his request seriously, and may be merely humoring themselves by asking other teams for the sun, moon and stars (and loads of draft picks0 in return.

“Interested teams are hopeful Brooklyn may ultimately have to lower its terms depending on Durant’s response come late September, several months following his trade request,” Fischer wrote. “There has so far been zero indication he is plotting any type of holdout, but that scenario has been repeatedly mentioned by rival team executives as the one variable that could force Brooklyn to drop its expensive demands.”

Recently, a rival GM told Hoops Wire: “Everyone pretty much knows KD probably isn’t winning any titles, not without (Steph Curry), which is why no one wants to mortgage the farm for him.”

The GM went on to tell Hoops Wire that he believes Durant will end up back in Brooklyn, despite his trade request.

Rival GM to https://t.co/gYiqMcukIX: “Everyone pretty much knows KD probably isn’t winning any titles, not without Steph, which is why no one wants to mortgage the farm for him.”

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) July 19, 2022