The Brooklyn Nets would prefer to keep Kevin Durant as opposed to trading him at this point.
While it has been a few weeks since Kevin Durant requested a trade, it is the Brooklyn Nets‘ preference to keep the disgruntled superstar as opposed to dealing him for less than market value.
NBA insider Brian Windhorst appeared on Friday’s episode of Get Up and offered the following.
“As for Kevin Durant, here’s what there is: Nothing,” said Windhorst on Get Up on Friday morning. “There is no movement here. The executives are leaving [NBA] Summer League. The executives are going on vacation. At this point, the Nets’ preferred situation is for Kevin Durant to stay with them. There is no trade that they’ve got that they like.”
Windhorst would go on to speculate if Durant’s mood about being traded has changed of late. He initially requested a trade from Brooklyn back on June 30. While he signed a massive deal with Brooklyn less than a year ago, it does not seem like a Durant trade is imminent. The Nets hold all the cards. He has a contract to honor and Brooklyn does not like any offer it has been presented.
Here is the entire clip of Windhorst discussing the latest on the Durant trade rumor mill front.
Kevin Durant trade rumors: Brooklyn Nets would prefer to keep their superstar
The biggest reasons behind Durant wanting to be traded in the first place are a bad last season for the Nets franchise and a souring relationship with one of the team’s other stars in Kyrie Irving. Though he is too mercurial to be the focal point of any franchise, Irving and Durant remain close. Brooklyn also traded for former Philadelphia 76ers’ No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons last winter.
While all three stars have their warts, it serves Brooklyn to see if the trio of Durant, Irving and Simmons have any on-court chemistry before they blow this thing up. Simmons has yet to play a game for the Nets, as he is dealing with injuries, among other things. Though this thing may be too toxic to not hopelessly spontaneously combust, what other options do the Nets really have here?
Sure, they could trade Durant to another team, but they are not getting a better player in return. If the Nets want an All-Star-level coming back their way, in addition to a bevy of picks, the New Orleans Pelicans probably make the most sense. They could pick up Brandon Ingram as a focal point to build around, while Durant goes to a team that is on the uptick in the Western Conference.
For now, it serves the Nets to hold onto Durant until they can garner the best trade offer possible.