Jan 25, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Seth Curry (30) scores Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Kyrie Irving has requested a trade and Kevin Durant could follow him. If the Nets have to clean house, these veterans should be traded next.
The Brooklyn Nets’ season went from waiting for the return of Kevin Durant to waiting for a trade deadline explosion. On Friday, Kyrie Irving requested a trade and it seems more than plausible that Brooklyn could go all in and trade Kevin Durant as well.
This wasn’t the path the front office was planning for just a few weeks ago but if they have to go all in and trade their two stars, the veteran supporting cast could hit the trade market as well. Players like Nic Claxton, Cam Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe are young and talented enough to hold through a rebuild. It’s not clear who would want Ben Simmons but the Nets have plenty of other assets they can move to augment Irving and Durant trades.
Who would the Nets trade after Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving?
3. Seth Curry
There is not a lot of versatility in Curry’s game but he’s still one of the best shooters in the league and a devastating spot-up threat — he’s 41.8 percent of his 3-pointers this year. His trade value might be slightly reduced because he’s on an expiring contract, likely making him a one-year rental and forcing a team to explicitly offer the Nets long-term value for short-term gain.
But he might be worth one of the Knicks’ heavily protected first-round picks from Detroit or Washington, or pair of seconds from someone like the Mavs or Timberwolves.