Image via Getty/Jonathan Bachman
In an unforeseen turn of events the Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant has requested a trade from the organization. The news came just days after Kyrie Irving opted into his contract to remain with the Nets. Entering his 15th season in the association, Durant will be joining his fourth different franchise unless he returns to the Oklahoma City Thunder or Golden State Warriors. Those two destinations are unlikely as KD has listed the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat as his two preferred teams. While Durant, has made his request and listed his preferences, the Nets front office doesn’t necessarily have to honor those requests. The franchise will likely find the best deal for them to rebuild and it’ll likely be the first of two major deals with the second shipping out Kyrie Irving.
Considering the length KD has left on his contract, the caliber of player he currently is, and where he ranks historically if he’s traded, he will almost certainly command a historic amount of draft capital and collection of players. The starting point for a potential KD package is likely at least one current All-Star or blue chip prospect, two other high-level rotation players, and six or more draft picks.
With all that being said, here are some possible Kevin Durant trades.
KD to Clippers, Herro to Brooklyn
Nets receive: Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, Terance Mann, Tyler Herro, Brandon Boston Jr., 9 picks (1 second round)
Clippers receive: Kevin Durant
Heat receive: Paul George
The Clippers parted with most of their future first-round picks in the 2019 offseason to acquire Paul George, but they are still eligible to trade their 2025, 2027, 2028, and 2029 first-rounders which I have them doing in this trade. While parting with an All-Star and future Hall of Famer in Paul George, promising young players such as Terrance Mann, Brandon Boston Jr. would be difficult; ultimately, you’re getting one of the fifteen best players of all time in Kevin Durant. If that opportunity is available, that is a move that you have to make. The Clippers would form the best and most talented Wing tandem in league history while keeping a significant amount of depth around their new duo.
After this trade the Miami Heat would almost certainly have the second-best wing duo in the league. Trading three first-rounders and getting off of two bad contracts (Lowry, Robinson) and Tyler Herro, who will likely never be as good as Paul George is right now, makes this swap worth it for Miami. The Jimmy/PG/Bam trio would take a team that was already the No. 1 seed up a tier.
The Nets get eight first-rounders in this trade, an immediate 20+ PPG scorer in Herro, a high-ceiling wing (Brandon Boston), a starting-caliber player in Mann, and more shooting around Ben Simmons (Lowry, Robinson.)
KD to Raptors
Nets receive: OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr., Scottie Barnes, 5 First Round Picks
Raptors receive: Kevin Durant
The Raptors have more than enough assets to get a deal for KD done if they choose to. Scottie Barnes is one of the best young prospects in the league, and because of this, the Raptors likely wouldn’t have to part with as much draft compensation as teams with inferior prospects would have to. With rumors in the offseason that OG Anunoby wanted out of Toronto, you would be packaging a disgruntled OG, Gary Trent Jr., Scottie Barnes and only two unprotected first-rounders for Kevin Durant with four years left on his contract. I don’t see how this wouldn’t be elite asset management for the Raptors as you get a Top 3 Player with four years of team control left. In return, the Nets would get a foundational piece in Scottie Barnes to potentially build around, and while the fit with him and Ben Simmons may be awkward, you can always flip Ben in the future if necessary. Trent and OG are both high-level starters that should allow Brooklyn to stay competitive as they attempt to retool with five additional first-rounders to play with.
KD to Phoenix, Deandre Ayton Toronto
Nets receive: Khem Birch, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, 8 First Round Picks
Suns receive: Kevin Durant
Raptors receive: Deandre Ayton
The most challenging part of this trade was finding a 3rd team to give DeAndre Ayton a near-max contract, as the Nets are reportedly unwilling to pay Ayton a max contract in a potential Sign and Trade. With the Raptors having a glaring need for a Center and with rumored interest in Ayton, they become the 3rd team needed to facilitate KD ending up with his preferred team; the Phoenix Suns. While the Suns are moving on from 3 significant contributors in this trade and major draft compensation if you can add Kevin Durant at the peak of his powers to Devin Booker and Chris Paul you have to do it. We’ve already seen what the current iteration of the Suns’ ceiling is without KD and the West only getting better; you need KD to take the next step as a team.
The Nets acquire two of the better 3&D Wings in the league in OG and Bridges, who have plenty of years of team control left, a sniper in Cam Johnson, Khem Birch for the salaries to match according to league rules, and eight first-round picks total.
KD to New Orleans, Zion to Brooklyn
Nets receive: Jonas Valanciunas, Zion Williamson, Naji Marhsall, Dyson Daniels, 4 First Round Picks
Pelicans receive: Kevin Durant
While many people may brush this trade-off immediately after seeing who is included, the Pelicans have a route to acquiring KD, keeping most of their supporting cast and parting with relatively limited draft capital. The problem is that route would mean that you trade Zion Williamson. The solution is that if you’re trading a generational talent like Zion you would like another in return, and KD fits that bill. In this hypothetical trade, the Pelicans part with four picks, with only two being their own. KD/B.I/CJ is a title-level trio, and they would still have the flexibility to make additional win-now moves to maximize their chances of winning a title.
Zion is the best you can do in a potential KD trade if you’re the Nets. He’s a franchise-changing player, and you have no chance of winning a championship without that kind of player on your roster. With Zion signing his rookie extension, the Nets would have to ship off Ben Simmons in order to have Zion on the roster.
KD to New Orleans, Ingram to Brooklyn
Nets receive: Larry Nance Jr., Brandon Ingram, Trey Murphy III, Dyson Daniels, 8 First Round Picks
Pelicans receive: Kevin Durant
Out of all the teams that can put together a package for Kevin Durant that doesn’t include their best player, the Pelicans still have the best potential package. They have a proven All-Star in Brandon Ingram with three years left of team control, a surplus of draft picks to trade from previous deals with the Bucks and Lakers (Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday trades), and some other promising young players to offer such as Trey Murphy III and Dyson Daniels. In this trade, the Pelicans would still “control their own future” as they keep most of their own draft picks aside from a 2025 pick swap and 2027 unprotected first-rounder. Everything given to Brooklyn in this deal is a first-rounder that they acquired from another team. The Pelicans become a title contender after this move. KD, Zion, and CJ instantly form one of the best trios in the league.
Getting a 24-year-old All-Star wing in Brandon Ingram, a potential high-level 3&D wing in Trey Murphy, 2022 top 10 pick Dyson Daniels and eight first-rounders is a home run haul for Brooklyn. Building a core of KD, Zion, and CJ is also a home run for New Orleans.