"You get a player like Brandon Ingram, an All-Star" - Bobby Marks believes that New Orleans are in the box seat to land Kevin Durant, insists that the deal is bound to get complicated
Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant has reportedly submitted a trade request as he is keen on moving away from the franchise. This comes months after speculation with regards to Kyrie Irving's long-term future with the franchise. The Nets are unwilling to give him a guaranteed contract.
On ESPN's basketball show NBA Today, ESPN's Bobby Marks spoke about how a move to the New Orleans Pelicans is something that could be in the cards. Marks believes that the Pelicans can submit the best trade package for Durant to the Nets.
Marks said:
"I think it's just clean. You get a player like Brandon Ingram, an All-Star. I actually even threw Herb Jones into the deal here. Didn't need to make the money work but a big wing that can defend. Now you're looking at all these picks, right. For me this is clean."
Bobby Marks also stated that there might be multiple teams involved in making such a trade happen. He believes one team does not have all the assets that the Nets would want in return. Marks continued:
"My concern with Kevin Durant moving forward is that this is going to get complicated. We are going to be adding three and four teams as you can see teams don't have many draft picks and to get the numbers up here, I don't think it's going to be a one-on-one type deal when Durant eventually does get trade."
Could Kevin Durant go to the Pelicans?
Kevin Durant's heart seems set on a move away from the Brooklyn Nets. The franchise could work on a deal as Durant has another four years left on his deal with no player-option. This means that Nets hold the power to decide Durant's destination.
Kevin Durant tonight:
27 Points
5 Assists
4 Rebounds
23% FG
0/10 FGM in the 2nd Half. https://t.co/mMHEjGQbR6
The New Orleans Pelicans endured a tumultuous season. They started 3-16 under first-year coach Willie Green in the months after announcing Zion Williamson had offseason foot surgery. The franchise nevertheless maintained its intention to make the playoffs, even without Williamson.
The acquisition of CJ McCollum from the Portland Trail Blazers at the trade deadline in mid-February accentuated that point. After standing 36-46 at the end of January, New Orleans went 18-14 for the rest of the season.
During the regular season, Kevin Durant shot 48.6% on jump shots, the best of any player in the NBA (min. 300 jumpers).
In the 2nd half of Game 2, he was 0-for-9 on jump shots. https://t.co/nIhB3w2ZyB
Kevin Durant is essentially a souped-up version of Brandon Ingram. A healthy Williamson, along with KD and McCollum, could lead the Pelicans deep into the postseason. If things go well, they could even embark on a championship run.
However, the Pelicans are not a big-market team. This remains possibly the only obstacle for Durant as his off-court ventures could potentially be affected by a move to New Orleans.