Kevin Durant’s trade saga has been going on for about a month and it doesn’t look like the Brooklyn Nets are any closer to moving him away from the team. While there are rumors of the Boston Celtics looking to swap Jaylen Brown for Kevin Durant, with picks and other players also on offer, it doesn’t look like the Nets have a definite offer that they like yet.
If Durant joins Boston, it would be reminiscent of him joining the Golden State Warriors in 2017 from only the respect of KD joining the team that eliminated him in the playoffs. The Celtics were NBA finalists this season and could become title favorites by adding Durant, provided they keep most of their core intact.
Dominique Wilkins failed to win a championship in his career due to his undying loyalty to the Atlanta Hawks, playing only 2 seasons outside of Atlanta in his career. He has commented on KD’s trade situation and expressed dissatisfaction with his actions.
Dominique Wilkins on KD’s trade request:
“I’m cut from the old school cloth. At some point, players are going to have to realize that no matter the trials and tribulations you go through, you got to hang in there and stick it out.”
(via @wenzellortiz) pic.twitter.com/Fe1fQGDGiN
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 26, 2022
Wilkins makes a good point about loyalty. There are players like Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard that have shown loyalty to situations where they can’t win an NBA title, with both men signing extensions this offseason. However, not all players are interested in doing that.
If a player is in the position to extend their winning hopes as much as he can, he is well within his right to ask for trades. A team would trade a player based on what they’re planning on doing and don’t show loyalty to the players always, so players aren’t obligated to do the same.
Durant’s situation is a little different from that, but player empowerment has enabled KD to be in a position where he can control his future even though he signed a 4-year extension last season. Whether he starts this season as a Net is undetermined, but teams will keep calling until Brooklyn accepts a package for the disgruntled star.
