Kevin Durant‘s trade request increases the chances of a Kyrie Irving trade to the Lakers, Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic report.
A straight Irving for Russell Westbrook swap would not work financially, so the Nets would either have to add another contract or include a third — and perhaps fourth team — for salary-matching purposes. Irving would be a better fit for LeBron James and Anthony Davis than Westbrook, providing better spacing offensively.
A potential deal could also lead the Lakers to part with first-rounders in 2027 or later.
If the Nets don’t want Westbrook’s salary, a third team could take that contract, with one of the Lakers’ picks and potentially Talen Horton-Tucker and/or Kendrick Nunn being involved.
A source told the Athletic that the chances of the Lakers landing Durant in a deal involving Davis is “zero.” Their focus, apparently, is on Irving.
We have more on the Durant/Irving situation:
- The Nets don’t appear to be interested in Deandre Ayton, sources told John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link). Thus, a potential trade with the Suns may not include the restricted free agent or it would have to involve a third team.
- Irving is “fully supportive” of Durant’s trade request, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (hat tip to RealGM). Irving knew Durant trade request was possible when he opted in to the final year of his contract.
- Ben Simmons would be the major impediment to the Nuggets getting involved in the Durant sweepstakes, Mike Singer of the Denver Post notes. League rules stipulate that teams can’t have two players on a rookie scale max extension that have been acquired via trade. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. would both fit that description.
- In the days before Irving’s choice to opt-in, sources close to Ayton raised the possibility of an Ayton-Mikal Bridges deal with the Nets, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick. It was unclear at that time whether or not Durant was going to ask for a trade.
- In the same piece, Alex Schiffer says he’s heard the Nets want multiple All-Stars in any deal for Durant.
Some team should just trade for Russ and give him the John Wall treatment. Sit him for the year and then you’ve got a huge cap space next season. Or trade for him and then get rid of him at the deadline this season.
If the lakers could just trade westbrook don’t you think they already would have, gotta include every first rounder possible for that albatross
@parx
Any Westbrook trade would have to involve other contracts to match. Just a matter of finding a team that wants to clear cap space and not interested in what he does for the team next year.
I don’t think acquiring him then trading him at the deadline makes much sense. A team who takes his contract on is also going to get assets– likely draft picks. Since it’s most likely a tanking team who does that, they’ll just ride out the season with his cap number rather than also having to give up assets to get rid of him at the deadline. That team won’t be competing anyway.
So far the Lakers get Grade F
Those 4 free agents Lakers signed are not good enough to beat projected 8th seed Wolves
Your daily analysis gets an F-
Van Vleet & Siakam (all star and an all nba) + 2 draft picks
They would want Barnes
I don’t think they have to give up Barnes, basically take your pick of 2 OF VV, Pascal, OG and GT JR. plus whatever draft picks
Don’t really see the point of making the trade if you’re getting rid of Pascal and Freddie. Subtracting those two guys and adding KD doesn’t make the Raps a legit contender.
Finally a reasonable voice. Thank you.
Does this work with Simmons?
Yes
The Nets not wanting Ayton is foolish considering they’re about to lose Durant and Kyrie.
Ayton only plays when he wants to. Once he gets his money, watch him average 9 pts, 8 reb, 0.3 blk on a per game basis, with lots of lazy lapses on defense and the boards.
Agreed. He’s one of those guys.
Nets aren’t going to lose either player. They are signed. If anything, they don’t get paid if they decide to not honor their contract.
The rookie scale max extension rule is a problem for the Heat too with Bam. So a Suns or Heat deal for Durant would require a 3rd team. I can’t really see Durant going to a team that didn’t make the final 8 last year, given how few good, healthy years he has left and how much he makes over the next few years. So my prediction is Sixers jump in and get the deal done with a Harris/Maxey/Thybulle package.
As far as two team trades go, the raps are the only team that can beat that package IMO
Sixers can’t offer picks though, only swaps…
There’s that harden thing too
Harden and Durant would have to settle things, but if they both want to win titles, they might. Rumors are Embiid is pushing for Durant so that might help. Sixers can unprotect the 2027 pick to trade the 2029 too and offer a pick swap in 2028. Which I think is on par with what the Heat can offer pickwise.
If/when the Hawks trade for KD I definitely hope Jalen Johnson isn’t in the deal. I’d (slightly) rather trade AJ Griffin than Jalen tbh. Also very much hope we keep Onyeka but that sorta goes without saying & I did Schlenk would seriously consider including him anyway…. John Collins, Kevin Huerter & our 2023 1st should be enough
I’m a Pistons fan and even I know you are not remotely close
Sankata does not know trade market
Huerter is overpaid
Basically overpaid Collins for Durant
I don’t know if you’re trolling or you actually think that is a reasonable trade proposal. Two mediocre guys and what will likely be a mid to late first for four years of KD?
You have proven over the years to be an egregious Hawks homer so I guess you’re serious.
You think that package beats anything Toronto can put together?
I really needed that laugh!!
Hopefully KD and Kyrie end up in favorable situations. Can’t wait to see where two of my favorite players end up!
Really foolish, I agree.
In my opinion Nets. Should build team around Ben, Ayton, Bridges. Get those picks too.
Stars building teams is having a bad run right now. Knicks please stick to rebuilding. Brunson 25 yrs old. Gotta like that.
I could see a team like SAC going all in on this
KD to the Raptors
FVV and Trent JR, 3 1st and 2 pick swaps to the nets
Imagine a lineup of KD, Siakam, Barnes, OG, and Boucher. So much length.
Plus Young coming off the bench.
Banton coming off the bench.
That team can just hold hands at the arc.
Thou shall not pass!
And then the Raptors have no guards? Raps ain’t trading for KD. It makes no sense for them to. KD is for a team with championship aspirations right now. Raps are a team building towards a championship window.
Raps are one trade away from a championship team, this is Kawahi 2.0
They were a much deeper team when they traded for Kawahi
Pascal is a decent PG.
Barnes is a very decent PG.
Heck even OG can bring the ball down
Raptors are champion ready. They just need that one more guy
KD can sit around the arc and chuck 3s. You’ll have to double him.
Pascal and Barnes are pushing it down your throat.
KD is exactly what the Raptors are missing. A lethal shooter who can open up the floor for Pascal Barnes and OG
I’ll grant you that. It would be a team like no other before it. Essentially no true guards.
Thou shalt not pass
KD can bring the ball up, he’s done so quite often with all his prior teams.
Scottie Barnes and Dalano Banton can play PG
Durant – wish him the best and hope he lands a team that is in alignment and complements his skill. His basketball talent is extraordinary.
Can some comment how he would fit along the King?
No.
Lol
As a Nets’ fan, this hurts, but Sean Marks doesn’t need to rush into any KD deal. KD signed a four year max deal with no player options. There’s always the possibility he changes his mind but it’s doubtful at this point.
Trade Ben Simmons simple.
Durant hasn’t one anything without the warriors. He’s now 34 and injury prone. Has an attitude. I wouldn’t be too quick to trade important pieces for him
He has been unluckier throughout his career in comparison to someone like Steph who has been the beneficiary of consistently having better supporting casts and a front office that has had better luck acquiring talent.
Steph clearly made his own luck!
Harden is s genius. He got out before this all started lol.
I hope Irving gets traded to the Raptors haha!
I think all of these pre Madonna’s should all create a new team. They can play when it suits their mood.
Frankly I am getting sick of the inmates running the asylum.
pre Madonna’s
Wasn’t this joked about before?
Like way before madonna
But something that was her’s.
Nets get: Sexton in S&T, along with Allen, Okoro, Osman, and three 1st rounds
Cavs get: KD and Joe Harris
That’s a lot of bodies moving just to get Harris back.
Cleveland is not taking on Durant.
Miami Herro Robinson two other players and 2 First.
Any more bombs, woj? Oh you’re just speaking out your ass, gotcha!
“Two other players” yeah, you really seem to know how this works.
Duuude the package I presented was better than lame ass herro. Why wouldn’t nets go after bam instead?
Lowry, Herro, Strus, 2-3 1sts, and pick swaps for Kevin Durant? Heat bring back Dragic in that scenario, keep Oladipo, and give Caleb Martin $6-7 million of the midlevel, sign Paul Millsap, and sign another wing shooter. Bam isnt going anywhere. Throw in Jovic if you have to. Dont think they’d be able to really add anything else to that
His asking places are Phoenix and the Heat, but would Phoenix give up Mikail Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, Dario Saric, 3 1st round picks for KD? What would he be even coming to at that point? He and Chris Paul would be on an island alone defensively. You could try to add pieces around that with what’s left out there, but there isnt that much without getting creative…
If anything, I think I there are a few other spots that make more sense/have arguably more than the Heat to give up. Okc is an obvious one, Spurs, even though they just over Dejonte Murray, who could have been part of this, New Orleans, Golden State, and Toronto all have really interesting offers they could make. For me, I think the Heat actually have a legit shot at this…
That being said, if I’m Brooklyn, I have him for 4 years. I’m not trading him anyway. They’re building a pretty good roster around Durant and Simmons, and obviously its possible Steve Nash just screws it up again, but I still think staying healthy, they theoretically have things they can do, and as an organization, how are we under pressure to trade someone b/c they asked, after FA already has started
The deals you could get for him are for sure a lot, and you could still put together a really strong roster, but I’m not just taking anything. It has to be a lot, like the 2 types of deals I mentioned
No one wants Westbrick! Lakers may have to give up both 1st they have left to get rid of him…..
Durant is a diva…buyer beware! He could not handle being on the best team in the NBA because he had to share the limelight. He then goes to BKN and helps destabilize and destroy the team along with his friend Kyrie because…why? He is as flaky as Kyrie but in a more insidious way.
Cupcake KD murdered OKC then screwed BK
If i am Sean Marks i’ll try to involve SGA in any 3 teams deals … Spurs would help also to take Russ contract if Lakers picks are involved
Suns get Cupcake Spurs get Eaton Nets picks and any player they want … Then Nets may go at Presti for SGA with Suns/spurs and Lakers picks in a KI/Russel trade
Raps Trade:
Raptors get: Durant
Brooklyn gets TOR 4 FRP + swaps, Port FRP, 2027 LAL FRP, S. Sharp (#7 pick), Bledsoe, THT, Nunn, Birch
Portland gets: OG A.
Lakers get: Gary Trent Jr.
This would be a reset trade heavy on picks.