A Kevin Durant-sized wrecking ball has crashed through free agency. Durant requested a trade from the Nets on Thursday, according to multiple reports. His wish comes after Kyrie Irving opted into the final year of his contract with Brooklyn, though Irving’s name is expected to be on the trade block now, as well. Durant, who will be 34 by the start of the season, is signed through 2026 with no player options on his current deal. The two-time Finals MVP averaged 29.9 points per game in 2022. Among the teams on his preferred list of destinations are the Suns and the Heat, according to multiple reports. Here are five Durant trades we would like to see happen.
Grizzlies
Memphis receives: Kevin Durant.
Brooklyn receives: Jaren Jackson Jr., Dillon Brooks, Xavier Tillman, their own unprotected first-round picks in 2024 and 2026, plus a top-four protected first-round selection via Golden State in 2024.
If you’re the Grizzlies, there’s no reason to sit on the accelerator and blow up a team that appears to be on a steady march toward perennial title contention. But 1) Nothing is guaranteed in the NBA, and 2) Durant is involved. Put him next to Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, hope at least one young wing on this roster pops and go win the championship.
Brooklyn can almost definitely receive a more attractive offer than this. But if the Nets are interested in staying competitive while restocking a cupboard that was ravaged by the James Harden trade, they’d get three solid-to-potentially-great players and three picks that shouldn’t be dismissed. – M.P.
Lakers
Los Angeles receives: Durant and Irving.
Brooklyn receives: Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Austin Reaves, 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick.
Another option for this trade: deal Davis (and the picks) for Durant straight up. But, in my opinion, there’s no scenario in which the Nets keep Irving around after trading KD. And because of his mercurial nature, short contract and Brooklyn’s desperation to get rid of him, Kyrie’s value will be low. This deal would benefit the Lakers because Durant is better than Davis, and LeBron is desperate to win now. (If he actually plays, Irving is also an upgrade over Westbrook.)
In this package, the Nets still get to build around a 29-year-old star who has top-10 player potential. A Davis-Ben Simmons frontcourt makes sense on paper, too. As for Russ, he can be bought out or used in another trade, giving Brooklyn some cap flexibility headed into next summer. A Lakers deal, which is more realistic if it’s an AD-for-KD swap, is something Los Angeles should consider if the goal is to maximize the end of LeBron’s career. – R.N.
Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports
Pelicans
New Orleans receives: Durant.
Brooklyn receives: Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas, Devonte’ Graham, Garrett Temple, the Lakers’ first-round pick in 2024 and Milwaukee’s first-round pick in 2027.
This is the first phone call Nets general manager Sean Marks should make. There’s understandable concern about Williamson’s health and how lower-body injuries may be a regular issue for him going forward—he missed the entire 2021-22 regular season with a fractured right foot.
But if Brooklyn is willing to make that bet—and take back two first-round picks for their trouble—the upside is humongous. Zion was historically unstoppable two seasons ago. Surround him with shooters, like Seth Curry and Joe Harris, and things could get scary. (Ben Simmons and Zion would be an intriguing frontcourt combination. Neither has an outside shot, but their brilliant court vision has the potential to override those shortcomings.)
If you’re the Pelicans … congratulations! You might have the most unstoppable mid-range offense in NBA history. The combination of Durant, CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram would be an absolute nightmare to slow down. And there are still several first-round picks to move for a team that would suddenly find itself in win-now mode. – M.P.
Raptors
Toronto receives: Durant.
Brooklyn receives: Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr., 2027 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick swap, 2029 first-round pick.
The one would be the sequel to the Kawhi Leonard trade, but also illustrates how difficult it is to gauge Durant’s value. Would the Nets demand Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes? This conversation comes down to how Brooklyn sees Barnes’s potential. It’s possible he’s on his way to being the leader on a great team, which would give the Nets a budding star to build around, a few rotation pieces who fit in nicely with the current group, and draft capital that would come after Durant’s contract expires.
For Toronto, it would have a tantalizing core of Siakam, Durant and Fred VanVleet, although the Raptors would need to be aggressive in filling out a lineup with minimal roster depth. The Raptors are obviously no stranger to big swings and were already a frisky bunch when healthy last year. Putting Durant on an athletic team with strong shooters would undeniably be fun to watch. – R.N.
Suns
Phoenix receives: Durant.
Brooklyn receives: Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, 2024 first-round pick, 2026 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick, and probably some swaps.
This deal would be my favorite for Brooklyn. Yes, it would be complicated to pull off because of hard-cap rules and base-year compensation factors involving sign-and-trades. It’s complicated, but the deal is still feasible if the Nets are able to make other moves beforehand (like trading Kyrie and taking less money back). It’s a no-brainer for Phoenix, which seemingly doesn’t want Ayton back and becomes a probable title favorite with Durant, Chris Paul and Devin Booker.
The Nets can acquire Ayton (23 years old) and Bridges (25), two players whose best basketball is ahead of them. Both are incredibly talented and also fit around Ben Simmons—if Brooklyn decides to keep him. Ayton, Bridges and Simmons give the Nets a perennial playoff contender, and theoretically (extra emphasis there) have room to grow into even better players. Vets such as Joe Harris and Seth Curry would complement these players or they could be moved for more picks or other younger players. This trade allows the Nets to remain competitive now, while also building for the future. – R.N.
Keep up with Kevin Durant and the NBA all year long with fuboTV: Start a 7-day trial today!
