Kevin Durant Is a 12-Time All-Star, Currently With the Brooklyn Nets
Kevin Durant still has four more years remaining on his $198 million contract with the Brooklyn Nets. Apparently, the Nets have been in consistent contact with Miami Heat and the Suns after Durant requested a trade on the first day of free agency. The preferred destinations for Durant appear to be Phoenix and Miami, but a deal might require a third or fourth trade partner to make it happen.
The Nets Don’t Deem a Trade to Be Imminent or at an Advanced Stage
Durant’s preferred Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat have both been in consistent contact with the Nets. Both teams may not have enough to do a deal with the Nets without doing three-team or four-team trades. Superstar players have a history of heft when it comes to choosing their ideal next landing spot during the requesting of trades. Still, the Nets seem to have the upper hand when it comes to where Durant could go next. They are, apparently, assessing what trading Durant could command based on the several all-star player trades that have occurred since free agency began.
It seems the Suns will have control over their future first-round draft picks for at least five years and more, which could be part of a trade package for Durant. Also, there’s been widespread speculation that the Nets could check Phoenix starting wing and the runner-up for this year’s Defensive Player of the Year, Mikal Bridges, in a trade package. It could also include the Suns’ other all-star, Chris Paul. Reportedly, the Nets aren’t interested in restricted free agent center Deandre Ayton because they’d be instantly hard-capped.
No First-Round Draft Picks Yet
As it is, the Nets don’t have first-round draft picks for the next five years, just as they had none in this June’s draft. That’s because they acquired Harden from Houston. At the same time when the Rockets dealt Harden, the Nets gave the Rockets their unprotected first-round picks for 2022, 2024, and 2026. They also gave away their unprotected first-round pick swaps for 2023, 2025, and 2027.
For now, the pending Durant trade seems to be in the future and could take the entire summer or even longer, despite that fans and the Suns would have hoped for a decision in a matter of days.