It’s August now, and even weeks after Kevin Durant’s trade request, the Brooklyn Nets remain at the front and center of the 2022 offseason.
Under normal circumstances, teams around the league would be lining up to pursue a player like Durant, but there is widespread pessimism that a deal will get done for him this summer.
In a recent article, Ian Begley of SNY described the situation as he shed some light on why some believe the KD sweepstakes are at a dead end.
Late last month, multiple people familiar with the Nets’ Kevin Durant talks were pessimistic about the possibility of a deal getting done in the near future.
Part of the pessimism stemmed from the idea that, as of last month, there was little appetite in the market for teams to serve as a third or fourth team to facilitate a Durant trade.
“No one wants to help (Brooklyn get a deal done),” one team remarked.
As with all trade talks, things are fluid. So the dynamic can change at any time. But late last month one source familiar with the Nets/Durant dynamic said things were in a “holding pattern” based on past talks between Brooklyn and other teams.
Durant requested a trade from the Nets prior to the start of free agency. Days earlier, Kyrie Irving had opted into the final year of his contract with Brooklyn after negotiations with the club. A few weeks after the season, GM Sean Marks said the club would be looking to establish a strong culture again following a first-round sweep by Boston.
Of course, things could change on a dime. If the right team gets the right push, they could feel compelled to suddenly pull off the trade of the century.
No matter who makes a run for Durant, however, the price for his services will be high. Multiple players and picks would have to be involved, and a third team might be needed to ensure that the Nets get the kind of haul they are looking for.
If that does happen, nobody knows what will happen to Kyrie. For now, it looks like both players remain with the Nets for the foreseeable future.
