The 2022 Free Agency started out with a bang on Thursday. The news of Kevin Durant requesting a trade from the Nets broke right before free agency started and caused waves of panic to go through the league as every team tried to figure out whether they have the assets to tempt the Nets into a trade to send KD somewhere else.
KD’s news has had a significant impact on the market, with teams hesitating to make moves to protect themselves from losing assets that can be used in a Durant trade. Outside teams like the New York Knicks that prepared to sign Jalen Brunson from Dallas or the Minnesota Timberwolves trading for Rudy Gobert, there have been no high-impact moves in free agency so far.
There are a ton of amazing players still available on the market, like Deandre Ayton, Collin Sexton, TJ Warren, and others whose futures are still unclear. The lack of action a few days into free agency is because of the situation in Brooklyn with KD, according to Keith Smith.
Talking to some folks around the NBA, it sounds like some of the better free agents on the board are waiting to see what happens with KD and Kyrie trades.
One agent told me: "Some teams might need to fill a lot of rotation minutes after a trade. We can be patient for now."
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 3, 2022
Players and teams would both be cautious in the moves they make until Durant has found a home. Even Kyrie Irving’s trade has been put on hold because Brooklyn needs to build their strategy based on the haul they receive for Durant.
Many players that are still good contributors but will be looking to sign for the mid-level exception or veteran minimum usually target contending teams. Durant’s trade could make the team he lands up on a very attractive option for those players, as Brooklyn had become one of the biggest destinations for role players on minimum contracts.
Hopefully, the league can see a resolution on the Durant trade sooner rather than later. James Harden is yet to sign his contract extension, no teams have offered money to Deandre Ayton and Collin Sexton, and the market seems to have stopped in its tracks to let the Nets figure out how they want to shake the league up with the KD trade.
