With Kevin Durant requesting a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, teams around the NBA are now working to put together their best trade offers to acquire him. At least half of the teams have reportedly already reached out to the Nets to talk trade and there will likely be more than that in the coming days.
The Nets are looking for quite a haul in return for Durant. Not only does he remain one of the best players in the league, but whoever trades for him doesn’t have to worry about early opt-outs or option years. Durant’s extension, which begins this season, is fully guaranteed for four years, so he will be under contract through 2026.
Sure, he could request a trade again, as the length of the contract hasn’t stopped players from doing so. But a team can rest easy knowing he has no way out of town other than that. As a result, the price could be even higher for him.
The deals that involved Paul George to the LA Clippers from the Oklahoma City Thunder and Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers from the New Orleans Pelicans are likely baselines for what to expect in a Durant deal. Rudy Gobert fetching three unprotected picks, one top-five protected pick and a swap will also have some bearing on what the Nets ask for in a Durant deal.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: This Nets-Raptors Trade Sends Kevin Durant To Toronto
Multiple first-round picks and swaps and All-Star caliber players are what they are reportedly seeking. High-upside young players likely would get the job done as well, as the Brooklyn Nets want to remain competitive but know they will be entering a bit of a retooling phase.
While Durant reportedly wants to land with the Phoenix Suns or Miami Heat, Adrian Wojnarowski believes there is one team that could surprise in the Durant sweepstakes and that is the Toronto Raptors. He says they are lurking as a potential landing spot as they have all the pieces to make a deal work.
Toronto could use All-Star Pascal Siakam as the building block of a deal along with OG Anunoby or Scottie Barnes Jr. They also have all of their selections going forward, so they can meet the asking price for picks if they are willing to go all-in.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: This Nets-Raptors Trade Sends Kevin Durant To Toronto
The Toronto Raptors look like a team that is here to stay after finishing in fifth place in the Eastern Conference despite people believing it was a rebuilding year. If they are willing to pay the price, acquiring Durant would push them into being contenders once again.
