The Atlanta Hawks have jumped into the race to acquire Kevin Durant, according to Shams Charania in his latest article on The Athletic. The article also brought to the forefront the interest the Memphis Grizzlies have in KD, so it seems the market for the disgruntled star is opening up.
Brooklyn still hopes to keep KD, especially with Kyrie Irving more or less expected to stay on the Nets this season and then leave next year as a free agent if they fail to agree on a possible extension. Regardless, other teams will keep trying to make moves for Durant as long as he’s on the market, but the Atlanta Hawks probably have the weakest offer we have heard so far.
After mortgaging most of their future picks by acquiring Dejounte Murray from the San Antonio Spurs, the Hawks don’t have much left over to offer the Nets. As a result, they made a tepid offer of John Collins and De’Andre Hunter along with 1 future pick for KD.
The Atlanta Hawks offered John Collins, De’Andre Hunter and a draft pick for Kevin Durant, per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/fBgZIfOyJ0
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 22, 2022
“Also in the past month, the Atlanta Hawks offered John Collins, De’Andre Hunter and a draft pick for Durant, according to sources.” (h/t The Athletic)
The Hawks had to have known that offer wouldn’t get accepted. Considering the offers, Brooklyn has allegedly received from the likes of the Boston Celtics, accepting this trade would be a massive mistake for the Nets. Collins is a long-term contract that doesn’t project to be as valuable a player as Jaylen Brown.
De’Andre Hunter is a great young forward, but the Nets would rather have a bunch of draft picks to shape their own roster than accept Collins and Hunter. This is a very surface offer, and the Hawks don’t have any way to beef it up to acquire KD, so it seems this deal will most likely peter out. But Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, and Kevin Durant as teammates would be a trio to fear in the NBA.
