The Brooklyn Nets were hit with a bombshell just hours before NBA free agency was set to start. That is when it was revealed that Kevin Durant had requested a trade from the team and that he and his representation would be working with the organization to find him a new home.
It came as a surprise to some people as Kyrie Irving had just opted in to his contract for the 2022-23 season. The duo seemingly had at least one more season together, but Durant seems to have reached his breaking point and is looking for a new situation.
Thus far, there have been two teams mentioned that are his preferred landing lists and that is the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat. They are far from the only teams interested in the superstar, as at least half the league has reached out to the Nets thus far regarding Durant.
The negotiations are going to be extensive as Durant remains one of the best players in the league. Not only that, his extension that starts this season is fully guaranteed, so he is under contract through 2026 without any options or opt-ins. That will raise the price even more.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Toronto Raptors Confident They Have Best Kevin Durant Trade Offer
Things have come to a screeching halt around the league as all of the focus is on Brooklyn with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving both likely on the move. Alas, the Brooklyn Nets are not in any rush to make a deal according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
“The market is still taking shape, and I think it’s incumbent on some of the other teams to be creative and start bringing to Brooklyn ideas, going out and seeing if they can get players, picks that would put the kind of package it would take to get Kevin Durant. Brooklyn’s got time on its side. They have a lot of time left in the offseason and they have a player in KD who has four years left on his contract. They don’t have to rush into a deal.”
Time is certainly one of the things that the Nets have. There is a price that they have set and until a team brings a competitive offer to them that appeases them, a deal won’t get done. While Kevin Durant has a preference for where he wants to go, Sean Marks has no obligation to fulfill those wishes. He will do whatever is best for the franchise when it comes to making a trade.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Toronto Raptors Confident They Have Best Kevin Durant Trade Offer
The complexity of a potential deal is also why it could take some time to get done. A third and possibly even fourth team could have to get involved to help compile the kind of assets that the Brooklyn Nets are looking for in a deal for the former MVP.
