There is no shortage of suitors for Kevin Durant, and there is not a team in the NBA that wouldn’t want to somehow land KD to be a part of their roster. When he initially requested a trade, some teams were immediately credited with an interest, the Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns primarily among them.
The Toronto Raptors and then, more recently, the Boston Celtics also came up as potential destinations for KD, although the asking price for the superstar is set to be astronomical. There aren’t many teams that can trade for Durant without almost entirely gutting their roster and their draft assets.
However, one name that has been mentioned before as a team the Nets could deal with is the New Orleans Pelicans. And the Pelicans have the depth and the All-Star to offer that could tempt Brooklyn into finalizing a deal. And according to NBA insider Kristian Winfield, the Pelicans are still interested in finding a way to acquire the former MVP.
“The New Orleans Pelicans remain interested in a deal for Durant, according to a source, and can put together a compelling package around All-Star forward Brandon Ingram, role players like Herbert Jones, Devonte Graham, and Jose Alvarado, and the remaining draft compensation they received from both the Los Angeles Lakers in the Anthony Davis trade and the Milwaukee Bucks in the Jrue Holiday trade.”
The Pelicans are likely to have a healthy Zion Williamson to go along with CJ McCollum next season, and adding Kevin Durant to the mix would almost instantly make them contenders in the Western Conference. The Nets would also likely be satisfied with a deal involving Brandon Ingram, especially if the Pelicans throw in some key role players and draft picks.
Durant has backed the Nets into a bit of a corner with his recent demand to ownership regarding the firing of Sean Marks and Steve Nash. This could be the moment for the Pelicans to swoop in and find a way to get a deal done that will surely make them a serious threat next season.
