Nets superstar Kevin Durant has apologized for comments he made about disliking playing for former Thunder coach Billy Donovan, but the Bulls still probably don’t have the assets to trade for him, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Donovan coached Durant in Oklahoma City during the 2015/16 season.
The Bulls can offer DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic, Patrick Williams and draft capital for Durant, as Cowley notes, but the Nets likely wouldn’t be interested. Brooklyn is reportedly seeking a historic haul for Durant, an All-NBA forward who has four seasons left on his contract.
While Chicago probably won’t find a way to enter the Durant sweepstakes, the team did bolster its bench this offseason by signing veterans Goran Dragic and Andre Drummond, both of whom played for the Nets last season. The club dealt with several injuries and finished with the sixth-best record in the East at 46-36 last season.
There’s more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:
- Sean Deveney of Heavy.com examines Vasilije Micic‘s situation and why he may have decided against making the move to the NBA. Micic, whose draft rights are held by the Thunder, registered trade interest from multiple NBA teams, including the Bulls, as Deveney notes, but ultimately chose to stay in Turkey. The 28-year-old could still join the NBA down the road.
- Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is still hungry to accomplish much more during his career, as Kurt Helin of NBC Sports writes. Antetokounmpo is entering his 10th NBA season, owning one championship ring, two MVP awards and many more accolades to date. “I’m an old soul,” Antetokounmpo said as part of a larger quote. “Like, in my mind I feel like I’ve been a vet five years now. But like my body… I have so much energy. I’m so hungry to accomplish more. I want to go out there and help you know my team in the best way possible. And a lot of people know that I’m a winner. I love to win. I love to go out there and leave everything on the court.”
Ben Simmons and curry r 2 b traded to suns for Paul shaker and bridges. The suns also get two 76ers pks. This will make Durant happy cause he wants to play with Paul. Simmons just needs to play 16 mins a game off the bench a show he’s all right for half a season first This holdout talk will be over once the trade is made.
Ok then!
“This [trade] will make Durant happy because….”
Think about how truthful that statement sounds. When has Durant sounded convincingly happy about anything?
Maybe somewhat appeased might be a better term. But make no mistake, with KD there will be a falling out, something he said, denied, retracted, but confirmed later. 100%
Stating this above, makes me wonder if there has been any player in my lifetime 50 years, who has had as many misdirects as KD. He wants to be #1 player, he wants to win chip. Hes happy, he’s frustrated, he wants to play with someone else, no he doesn’t, yes he does. No he in fact doesn’t. He wants a trade. Nope that’s the other guy who wanted that not me. No he wants to stay. Fire coach. He says, says he didn’t say. Its all very confusing over the years. But more than that, just damn tiring.
Colangelo #2, and Barkley is in top 5.
Whatever Bruh!
Nets want young players, not over age 30 players. DeRozan was really good last year and Vuc has been a quality player in the league for years but they don’t match what the Nets want so it doesn’t matter. Bulls aren’t in the Durant sweepstakes, if that trade ever happens, which I’m expecting to eventually relent and play for his loaded Nets team.
So, let me get this straight- not only does KD like to whine and pout, he has ‘feuds’ that last years? Jeez, just grow up you big rich baby.
Amazing what you chose to take from this piece. I gather you don’t know very much about Donovans history before 2 years ago or why the had differences in the past. Nothing about this article says anywhere that KD has said anything about Billy D. Good lord.
@Washington
Narratives. They’re ruining the news industry. I try to go by what the player says and not speculation.
Why did you name drop Lebron in the title and have zero to report on him? Clickbait much
Glad he hates Donovan and the Bulls are unworthy. Durant is a pud and he can pout in Brooklyn. I’m actually more curious as to why Micic wouldn’t want to play for the Bulls. What did they ever do to him?
What did the the Bulls do to Micic. Other than not being relevant since before Derrick Rose injured that knee?
Micic was killing them in summer leauge. He has no competition in the U.S. A typical in the difference in players trained to make athletic plays while playing basketball and players trained to play basketball.
Timma and Jukabatis were killing it the year before. Same thing.
Huh? I mean I thought Micic might be a good fit for the Bulls but then they signed Dragic which works just as well for me for insurance for Lonzo being out to start the season. I really didn’t understand anything you wrote.
Durant is perfect for the Bulls
The Bulls only have 2 problems right now. Ball and Lewis’s knees. They don’t need anymore.
Lewis’s knees might be a stretch as a problem. He is an unstaffed rookie. A bigger problem is they are still missing a rim defender.
*undrafted.
He might of been undrafted but tons of people think he should of been giving AK and Eversley another excellent reserve scooped in in the 2nd round or later. With Ayo last year and Lewis this year they’ve proven to be good judges of talent. I just hope he’s not seriously hurt, especially since he was hurt in a non team workout. He was great in the summer league. Keep up the Bulls hate, makes you look lame.
If the Bulls flipped Lonzo Ball and Vucevic for younger players / picks and shipped those to the Nets along with Pat Williams, Ayo, and Coby White… you can start having a conversation. But that’s a lot of moving parts and unlikelihoods.
Just do the Kyrie deal first, 3-way with Hornets for Hayward, Rozier, picks from LAL and Hornets. Send Seth to LAL as well.
Then ship Simmons off to whomever is interested.
And if KD still wants out as the season approaches, take he best offer and move on. Recoup as many assets as you can.
#FreeKD
How many times has this campaign worked. Did for Simmons.
Durant is such a delicate baby.
Why do the Nets want an “historic haul” for a literal 34 year old? Insanity.
So KD “has apologized for comments he made about disliking playing for former Thunder coach Billy Donovan”.
KD disliked playing for Steve Kerr.
KD wants Nash fired.
Any teams still interested in trading for him?