The Suns‘ decision to match Indiana’s offer sheet for Deandre Ayton may take them out of the bidding for Kevin Durant, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst suggests on his latest Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to Real GM).
Ayton can’t be traded until January 15 and will have veto power over any deal for the next year. He was believed to be an important part of any package that Phoenix might offer the Nets for Durant.
“I think they have, and by the way they’re not alone… How do I want to put this? I think the position they’re taking is that they’ve made their offer for Kevin Durant. And their offer is their offer. And it’s not an offer that the Nets are interested in,” Windhorst said. “I’m not even sure the Suns can put together an offer that the Nets would be interested in by themselves. I think this is where the other teams are as well.”
Windhorst added that the Durant trade market is stagnant right now because all the interested teams are unwilling to come anywhere near Brooklyn’s asking price. He adds that the Pacers were trying to take advantage of the situation, gambling that Phoenix would either let Ayton go or agree to a sign-and-trade.
Although the Suns declined to offer Ayton a max extension when he was eligible, they were willing to bring him back under the terms of Indiana’s offer, possibly with an eye toward trading him later on.
“This is them partially saying ‘We’re not counting on Kevin Durant. We have a 64-win team. This is going to take us into the tax,'” Windhorst added.
Windhorst stated that the Suns should now be considered a longer shot to acquire Durant, although he doesn’t eliminate them entirely. He reported that the latest offer from Phoenix doesn’t include Mikal Bridges or the team’s full complement of future first-rounders and pick swaps.
The developments in Phoenix could affect Durant’s desire to join the Suns, ESPN’s Nick Friedell said in an appearance on “Get Up” this morning (video link). He adds that the Nets are hoping Durant might become more willing to start the season in Brooklyn and see how things work out.
OG and Gary Trent Jr + a few picks is starting to look really good now.
It’s really not.
Agreed, it does not. What does look good is a starting lineup of KD, Kyrie, Ben Simmons, Joe Harris, and Nic Claxton. Just let it ride.
Good enough to possibly make the 2nd rd, but that’s the ceiling.
no it doesn’t at all. Just keep KD and run it back. Nets have a really good roster right now as is.
KD wants to leave.
@mb81
But he can’t. He’s under contract for the next 4 years.
To be honest, if I’m the Nets not trading KD nor Kyrie isn’t a bad idea. We make KD out to be a bad guy. What is he? A thin skinned modern day star who has a weapon, social media, to clap back at fans, and often, obsessed media scrutinizing every decision he makes, comments on every fart eminating from his body and often attempts to create and then debate the narrative versus simply reporting the news. He’s an unsympathetic star because he’s rich and prickly. But does anyone think he’d go as far as holding out of camp or showing up fat and out of shape (is that even possible) or being a verbal and blatant malcontent? Very doubtful. And I really think that Kyrie will be on his next behavior this season. Why? Because he’s been humbled. He clearly sees what his majesty looks like right now. Nobody was willing to trade for a healthy superstar fresh off of a 27/5/5 year. But let’s trust him being a guy who wants that next max contract. He’s hoping to prove himself to be worthy of one so expect him to play thru nicks and aches and to put up the best numbers possible. I bet you, aside from a change in covid rules, to play near a full season, to avoid controversial comments and be the best citizen so he can secure his next big deal. And if the Nets want to they can move him at the trade deadline for future assets or another piece that might help them for a playoff run. The Nets could make themselves an example of a team that stood tall in efforts to curb some of the ridiculous things players are attempting.
Lots of hopium in your post. I don’t see this going well if both are forced to go back to Brooklyn. Kyrie plays a half season half assing it and Kevin gets an “injury”. But hey you can dream.
@Cobi
Greed. How does playing half a season or “half assing it” help Kyrie get his next max or long term deal? How much more bad publicity does KD want to endure? Say what you want but KD was never seen as a “toxic” player. He’s never defended a trade. Hrs played injured in the playoffs to help his team. Some Gsw fanboys can TRY and make it seem he did a bad thing by leaving. They can try and say he left GSW so he could be a leader of his own team. Maybe they are confusing the reason Kyrie gave to leave Cleveland but I suggest it was more because he didn’t like how Dray treated him both publicly (calling him a b*tch she’d saying they didn’t need him) and what might have been said in the locker room). KD isn’t a verbal leader and I doubt he even wants that responsibility, which is part of the problem here in Brooklyn. He just wants to hoop in a drama free environment. I think it could work out and might set the tone for Ben Simmons too.
KD is a b*tch, but his quotes about why he left GSW conclusively prove your suggestion is wrong.
KD creates drama, because he thinks he knows better than the FO what’s best for whatever team he plays for.
Lol no they don’t. They have huge question marks after Durant. Irving? Who knows what they get from him. Simmons? Even bigger unknown. Beyond that the roster falls off fast so their depth is also questionable.
Run what back? Only title winning teams can use that phrase.
Too much 4 KD
Wiggins+Moody+6 picks clears that easily
How many times does it have to be repeated that Wiggins cannot be on the Nets if Simmons also is on the roster?
It doesn’t need to be repeated if you understand multi-team trades exist. You…can’t make this connect for some reason…
The defending champion Warriors don’t want KD.
It was reported Steph Curry literally called KD, why do you not know common information?
Yea not anymore they’re not. Really no other options for the Nets unless they manage to move Simmons. Can’t trade for Mitchell, Adebayo, Wiggins. The Raps ain’t trading Barnes. Maybe Siakam?
Suns did not offer Booker, Paul, Bridges and Ayton
Suns did not offer 4 Firsts
What did they offer?
I count out Heat and Suns
How do the Nets turn down Crowder, Saric, Shamet, Craig, a couple 2nds and a first swap?
Easy, by laughing in the Suns face and hanging up the phone
LOL, well played.
phillyballers is obviously joking
Nobody is in on Durant right now because the Nets request is way to high. This is the Simmons trade all over again. Nobody is going to make a offer for Durant until their trade request price comes way down.
Simmons was broken. Yeah KD has issues but he plays when he can and is one of the 3 best in the league today!
Not at his age and the asking price. Unless they can find a team that wants to go all in and mortgage their future he will not be traded.
KD is broken in Brooklyn. Has not played a full season last 3 years.
Got paid for recovering and getting swept anyway
The Timberwolves are the perfect fit for Durant. Edwards, Russell, 4 first round picks for Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant
@LFG
No, no, no, no. Minnesota has never been a FA destination usually because of the weather and lack of competitive play. The Timbs have something good going on. They have players that have been there from the beginning of their career except for Gobert. Why risk bringing in two prickly guys who most likely want nothing to do with Minnesota and probably feel like they’ve been banished to Siberia punitively. Don’t bother….
the salary doesn’t match up.
Durant isn’t going anywhere.
Warriors, Nets, Lakers, Jazz, Knicks and Pacers in the biggest multi teamer of all-time.
Nets flip pretty much everyone.
Warriors give up Wiggins, Moody and picks (not necessarily all to the Nets), get KD.
Boom, lets get it cookin…
Nets can’t get Wiggins because of Simmons for some obscure rule. I rather them give up Poole than Moody.
@ARC 2
Yes, and that’s why I said multi-teamer. Only way it can happen, but it can.
I just don’t believe the Warriors get involved with this guy again. Yeah, he’s a great player, but why? You have a championship team that is also well stocked with younger stars. Mortgaging the future for a championship run they can make without KD is nonsense
That said, it wouldn’t surprise me
Because KD is 100x better than Andrew Wiggins because Wiggins is no different to Harrison Barnes, regardless of what casuals what to think about him.
I really hate Wiggins, you guys. I watched him be the most frustrating player all year long and most of the playoffs. His going missing for 2+ quarters a game is infuriating. He has all these good tools but never uses them. Yes he played well against the Bostons severely undermanned sqaud (they mostly used only 7 players all finals), but so did everyone, and that shouldn’t make you think he’s worth more to GSW than KD. Just ignorance.
There’s straight up VERY little difference between Harrison Barnes and Andrew Wiggins, as of now at least. You trade either one for KD no matter what.
@A’sfaninUK
Remember how Wiggins outplayed Tatum (who had destroyed KD)?
Weird/sad to see your daily campaign to sabotage the champs.
No? Because that never happened? Are you insane?
Wiggins truthers are the absolute worst. Go away, stop lying. Wiggins isn’t part of the core 3 or the youth movement, if GSW wants to get a big name player, Wiggins HAS to be the one to go.
It’s funny because I want Wiggins for KD to happen so GSW can win MORE rings, you dolt!!!
How did KD’s 2021-22 season rank amongst all of his seasons? (LR = His League Rank)
Games – 12th
Min – 12th
PER – 10th (LR: 5th)
TS% – 7th (LR: 11th)
WS – 10th (LR: 15th)
WS/48 – 11th (LR: 14th)
BPM – 8th (LR: 6th)
VORP – 10th (LR: 6th)
Here is the paradox of KD. In terms of the league he is top 5-15 depending on how you rank his D. In terms of his career, he was the 7th-10th best KD out of 14 we have seen so he is on the downward slide although he has farther to slide. The question is how steep is the slide? Will he be Lebron II or Chandler Hutchison II? (Even LeBron’s last season was his 12th best of 19 for PER)
If he joins GSW, none of this will matter because he will be used much less, as games will be blowouts faster.
Let’s get real, KD to the Suns was never gonna happen.
If the Nets wanted Ayton, the deal would have been done, but they don’t, and no other team was gonna facilitate the trade because they wouldn’t trade the type of player the Nets want for Ayton either.
KD probably doesn’t want to play on just another version of the Nets team he was just on.