Kevin Durant’s possible departure from the Brooklyn Nets is easily the biggest trade story to come up in a long time. While we have seen blockbuster sagas with Durant teammates like James Harden and Ben Simmons, neither was the caliber of player that Durant is.
The Brooklyn Nets stand at risk of losing Kyrie Irving this off-season after the star guard and the Nets hit an impasse in their contract extension talks. There is talk of Irving going as far as leaving $30 million on the table to go sign with a team like the Los Angeles Lakers.
Irving possibly leaving has opened the door up for Durant to join him and leave the franchise. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Durant has officially told the Nets that he wants to be traded if Irving leaves, with that being largely assumed due to the relationship the pair have.
Woj: "I'm told that Kevin Durant has not told the Nets that if Kyrie Irving leaves, that means he's going to ask for a trade.”
(h/t @_Talkin_NBA)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 23, 2022
“Kevin Durant has not told the Nets that if Kyrie Irving leaves, that means he’s going to ask for a trade. Kevin Durant wants to know, like any other star of his stature, if Kyrie Irving did walk, what would a reconfigured Nets team look like? How will they reshape the roster so that the Nets will be able to return and have a championship contender? Those are the sort of questions that Kevin Durant will have for the Brooklyn Nets. You’re always having that conversation with your best player, but I am told that Durant has not told the Nets that if Kyrie Irving leaves, he is going to ask for a trade. He has 4 years left on his contract, but the Nets are aware of the relationship that KD has with Kyrie Irving and that’s why they are trying to come up with a deal that meets both what Kyrie Irving wants to do and what the Nets want to do.
KD requesting a trade will be the right move for him if Irving leaves, as he cannot compete for a title with the barebones roster that Brooklyn has. They gave away most of their depth to trade for James Harden in early 2021, a decision that the franchise has to be regretting right now.
This situation will develop until the deadline for the players to accept their contract options. If Irving accepts to stay on for a final year, the Nets will push all their chips in the middle. Otherwise, Durant might be the next big name to leave the franchise and end their window of contention without any success since 2019.
