As Kevin Durant’s trade demand forces the NBA offseason into a state of total disorientation, fake trades, rumors and hypothetical destinations for someone who might still be the best player alive have dominated all conversation. Where he goes next, and what it costs to get him there, will hover over the entire 2022–23 season. Ripple effects will spread far and last for years.
Taking stock of the league’s current landscape, some organizations are better constructed to land Durant and put him in a position to win the title than others. But one semirealistic team that may or may not be in the actual running to land KD also happens to provide a more mutually beneficial situation than any other other: Portland.
The idea is admittedly as inconceivable as it is fulfilling. While the Blazers might not have enough to offer the Nets—in addition to an All-Star, don’t be shocked if Brooklyn’s haul includes eight or nine first-round picks that stream in from two (or maybe three) other teams—it’s O.K. to daydream about a relatively straightforward and delightful outcome that makes sense on several levels.
