An NBA insider has hinted at what Kevin Durant’s trade will look like if traded and according to the insider, it will be the “Biggest Package In NBA History”. This has also raised questions about whether KD’s time at Brooklyn Nets is up already via TPS;
Could Kevin Durant’s time in Brooklyn be up already?
That appears to be the word on the street, as many reports seem to suggest that KD and the Nets could be headed for a breakup.
If that were to happen, one could only imagine the type of package it would take for any interested team to acquire Durant. Predicting what the price tag might look like seems unfathomable at this point, but NBA insider Bobby Marks did attempt to give us an idea of what it would take when he claimed that the Nets’ return would be “the biggest package in NBA history.”
That doesn’t really tell us all that much…until you start to look at some of the other monster trade packages that were handed out in the past.
Here are some realistic scenarios and teams that Durant could get traded to.
You might be surprised to see Portland ranked this high after a lottery season, but the Blazers check almost every box here, assuming Durant is a fan of the Pacific Northwest. The No. 7 pick and breakout star Anfernee Simons in a sign-and-trade aren’t viable centerpieces on their own, but together, they could form the basis of a deep and compelling package. Portland could add to that package by removing the protections on the first-round pick it owes to Chicago and throwing in more draft capital. Damian Lillard is a player that Durant has openly admired, and Jerami Grant would be a valuable role player next to them. It make take Portland a year to build up the rest of the roster, but the Blazers appear committed to winning now, while Lillard still can. There’s no better win-now move on the table than going all-in for Durant, who would immediately become by far the best teammate Lillard has ever had.
And then we move onto the contenders. Memphis and Phoenix are in a dead heat for the No. 2 spot. Phoenix would probably be Durant’s preference based on his well-known affection for Devin Booker. He considered linking up with Chris Paul in 2016, but better late than never. Mikal Bridges, DeAndre Ayton in a sign-and-trade and all of Phoenix’s picks (which are deceptively valuable on a roster suddenly built around a 37-year-old Paul and a soon-to-be 34-year-old Durant) would be the basis of a deal here. Memphis just has a slightly better package to offer. Desmond Bane’s scoring is probably more valuable than Bridges’ defense for the long haul. Jaren Jackson is already locked into a reasonable contract. The Grizzlies have been hoarding picks for several years now, and while their own selections wouldn’t be as enticing as Phoenix’s, the sheer volume they could throw at Brooklyn would surely appeal to a Nets team that is without its own selections.
And at the top of the heap, as is so often the case where superstars are concerned, are the Miami Heat. Tyler Herro has been tossed into plenty of hypothetical trades in recent weeks, but for a player of Durant’s caliber? Miami would likely at least consider building a package around him and Bam Adebayo. The Heat created some more flexibility at the trade deadline by moving the protections on a first-round pick they owe to the Thunder. They’ll be able to trade their 2022 first-round pick after the draft along with their 2023 choice and one pick from either 2028 or 2029. If the Nets want Duncan Robinson? I can’t imagine he’d stand in the way of a deal.
The end goal would be to pair Durant with Jimmy Butler. Hopefully Kyle Lowry would remain in place. The Heat would then use their mid-level exception or possibly another trade to add some size, and their remarkable track record of developing bench players in the G League would ensure robust depth. Add all of that up and you have a team that should not only appeal to Durant, but would be willing to give up what it would take to land him.
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