Kevin Durant’s trade request set the NBA world on fire. Immediately, fans and experts imagined countless different scenarios of how this could all play out, and each one brought its own level of excitement.
But after weeks of talks and negotiations, KD is still a Net and the oddsmakers seem to think it’ll stay that way for the foreseeable future. For the first time this month, the Nets are being favored to keep Durant more than any team is favored to trade for him.
Brooklyn Nets are now favored to keep Kevin Durant! 📈
Here are the updated odds for where KD will play next year:
Brooklyn Nets: +200
Miami Heat: +325
Toronto Raptors: +375
Phoenix Suns: +600 pic.twitter.com/LMxG9vdYT7
— ClutchPoints Betting (@CPBetting) July 17, 2022
Really, there are only three teams in the league who have seriously engaged the Nets in KD trade talks: the Suns, Heat, and Raptors.
For the Suns, matching Ayton’s offer sheet means it’s almost impossible to get Durant now without gutting the entire roster or adding a third team to the mix. Even then, Phoenix will likely pay a huge tax bill.
In South Beach, the Heat continue to look for ways to acquire Durant, but the Nets don’t seem to have much interest in the two players Miami would offer in a deal.
The Miami Heat currently can trade two of their own first-round draft picks. That number could jump to three if the Heat can strike a deal with the Thunder to change the protections on their 2025 first-round pick (that pick is currently lottery protected, if it doesn’t convey the first year it is unprotected in 2026).
Two first-rounders are likely not enough to land Kevin Durant either, although the Nets are more focused on players and not simply picks. In the case of Durant, the Nets want an All-Star and the buzz from league sources is they are lukewarm on a Herro and Robinson package, even with more picks.
The price for Durant is understandably high. He’s one of the best in the game with four years left on his deal. Unfortunately, it’s a price that no team is willing to pay right now, which is why the situation has changed so much.
If the Nets do manage to keep their team intact, they could shoot for a championship next season. If not, they’ll probably be shooting for the draft lottery. Either way, the future hangs in the balance, and it all rests on Kevin Durant’s shoulders.
