Once the dust settles on the draft and free agency, the basketball offseason shifts focus toward NBA Trades; though normally, players as monumental as Kevin Durant aren’t on the market. Not only did the surefire Hall of Fame forward request a trade, but doubled down in a recent meeting with Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai, as reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic.
This report suggests that Durant gave Tsai an ultimatum: Trade him or fire head coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks. On the outside looking in, it may seem like a no-brainer, but the Nets organization has moved mountains adhering to its superstars in recent years and may no longer be willing to comply. In fact, Tsai reaffirmed his commitment to the team’s management:
With this in mind, it seems like Kevin Durant might be the next superstar on the move.
Which NBA trades for Durant could realistically come to light?
It’s historically unprecedented for one of the 10 greatest individual basketball talents of all-time to request a trade with four years on his contract. Should this deal come to light, it projects to be one of the biggest NBA trades the game will ever witness. Between proven talent, rising stars and a treasure trove of draft picks, Brooklyn will unabashedly ask for teams to empty their war chests for a chance at the former MVP.
Any trade for Kevin Durant will require at least one player who can help the Nets compete immediately, at least one young piece to develop over time and considerable draft consideration. Not every team has the pieces to make a splash at this level, but there are four teams in particular with the flexibility and guts to pull it off.
Please note that the number of first-round picks in these mock trades will be unspecified. Each of the teams being discussed control most, if not all of their first-round picks. This is unexplored territory, so it’s hard to say how many picks it will take to make a deal happen.