Kevin Durant Trade Rumors: Brooklyn Nets might become open to trading superstar forward
Kevin Durant's status has been a big topic of conversation since Kyrie Irving was traded to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. While the Brooklyn Nets said they had no intentions of moving the former MVP, that could be starting to change.
Over the summer, Durant told the Nets that he wanted to be moved. With another star talent on his way out the door, it's fair to assume he'll want a change a scenery. According to recent reports, Brooklyn might be leaning towards a complete rebuild.
According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the Nets' status in regards to a Durant trade has changed in the days leading up to the deadline:
“That is an interesting development that has happened over the last 48 hours since the Kyrie trade from people that I've talked to.”
The Nets' position on not trading Kevin Durant may change, per Brian Windhorst
“That is an interesting development that has happened over the last 48 hours since the Kyrie trade from people that I've talked to.” 👀
(h/t @RealGM ) https://t.co/3Dmu9t7I2I
Should the Brooklyn Nets look to move Kevin Durant before the trade deadline?
It would be a drastic change over the span of a week, but the Brooklyn Nets wouldn't be wrong to take calls regarding Kevin Durant. With Kyrie Irving out of the mix now, teams appear willing to pay a steep price to bring in the former MVP.
Entering January, it looked like Brooklyn had a chance to be finals contenders. As the Nets (32-22) continue to slip down the Eastern Conference standings, the likelihood of them making a run at the NBA title decreases.
Unless the Nets are able to bring in a star-caliber player before the deadline, they should be open to the idea of moving on from KD. While they got a good return for Irving, they won't be able to hang around with other contenders with just one star on their roster.
Before getting injured, KD put up MVP-level numbers, averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists. Between his production and the length of his contract (the 34-year-old is in the first year of a four-year contract), Brooklyn could land a massive haul in a trade.
While they should listen to calls, they should only commit to a deal if a team blows them away with an offer. If that doesn't happen, they should carry this into the offseason. From there, they'll be able to either hunt for a new running mate or go into a complete rebuild.
Seeing that Kevin Durant asked out last summer, it could very well happen again after this season. With that in mind, the Nets' front office should be proactive and start seeing what's out there now before Thursday's trade deadline.