Utah Jazz Receive: G/F Ben Simmons
Brooklyn Nets Receive: G Donovan Mitchell, G/F Tim Hardaway Jr., G Spencer Dinwiddie, 2025 First-Round Pick (DAL), 2028 First-Round Pick (DAL)
Dallas Mavericks Receive: F Kevin Durant
Before we proceed with justifying this deal, there’s a pertinent question to be asked. Why, exactly, would the Brooklyn Nets trade Kevin Durant?
Well, if you’re willing to put any faith in the rumor mill, there could be a world where they’re forced to. Allegedly, Durant would request a trade if the Nets declined to extend Kyrie Irving, and they might. In other words, this scenario finds the Nets losing all three of their star players in one offseason.
At the same time, a silver lining emerges. The Nets would now have the opportunity to rebuild around New York native Donovan Mitchell. By adding two first-round picks, they almost restock the draft capital they lost in the James Harden trade. After all, they did add two more first-rounders in…the other James Harden trade.
It’s been a hectic couple of years for the Nets. This trade certainly wouldn’t change that. With that said, it could stabilize the team in the long run.
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Meanwhile, the Mavericks make out like bandits in this scenario. Flipping two veteran contracts and a pair of first-round picks for one of the best scorers in NBA history ought to be illegal. They’d be capitalizing on a desperate situation in Brooklyn.
