Kevin Durant is one of the best players in the game still, and there’s no doubting his greatness. His ability to create a shot against any defender is extremely impressive, and he is still a sniper from beyond the arc.
Due to the Brooklyn Nets’ slow start and current issues, there has been a lot of speculation about the team potentially rebuilding. In fact, some people have already suggested that the team needs to trade Kevin Durant.
A recent report by Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated revealed that if Kevin Durant were on the trade block, there’d be a number of teams that could be interested in acquiring him. Those teams include the Raptors, the Suns, the Heat, the Pelicans, and the Bulls.
Durant, three years removed from Achilles surgery, and with a lot of miles on him, probably won’t fetch another elite talent in return. As one talent evaluator put it, Durant is “still a top-15 guy, but I don’t think he’s a top-five guy anymore.” And any team acquiring him will want him to join its stars, not replace them, with the hope of making a title run.
The Raptors will again be suitors, though the Nets would probably have to settle for a package of picks and some assortment of OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet and/or Gary Trent Jr. No one believes Toronto will give up All-Star Pascal Siakam or rising star Scottie Barnes.
The Suns could come calling again, offering Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson, plus the full boat of picks and swaps. Or, if the Nets are willing to wait, they could ask for Bridges and Deandre Ayton, who isn’t trade-eligible until Jan. 15.
The Heat surely could call again, dangling Tyler Herro and picks as a starting point. No one around the league believes Miami will part with Bam Adebayo, whose inclusion in a deal would be complicated by arcane salary-cap rules, anyway. (The Nets would have to offload Simmons first.)
The surging Pelicans, armed with multiple stars and a gold mine of Lakers draft picks, could make a strong bid, though rivals don’t believe they would include Zion Williamson or their other two stars, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum. One exec suggested a Bulls bid, based around DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso and picks.
Of course, there’s a chance that the Brooklyn Nets will end up figuring things out after their slow start. They do have a number of talented players on the roster and could potentially make the playoffs. However, at this moment in time, a rebuild should at least be in consideration.
Kevin Durant Is Frustrated With Ben Simmons Right Now
There are a number of reasons why the Brooklyn Nets might need to start anew. Even aside from the negative off-court attention that is focused on the team due to Kyrie Irving’s recent actions, there is some trouble on the Nets’ roster. A recent report from Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that Kevin Durant and the Nets are currently frustrated with Ben Simmons because of his durability and his not being an impact player.
“Ben Simmons has been a source of frustration for Kevin Durant for others on the Nets so far, because he has been unable to stay on the floor with a knee injury but prior to that, he has shown that he’s a long way away from being back to an impactful player. It’s a big part of the reason why the Nets are at the very bottom of the league defensively.
There is no doubt that the copious problems with the Nets, both in roster construction and otherwise, could end up triggering the decision to rebuild. It remains to be seen how long the team will stick with their current group.
As of right now, though, Kevin Durant is still a member of the Brooklyn Nets. Hopefully, he is able to help the franchise get back on track and potentially make it back to the playoffs.
