NBA Trade Rumors: Brooklyn Nets not interested in Jordan Poole and 1x All-Star
Kevin Durant's request to get traded out of the Brooklyn Nets is in limbo. The Nets have reportedly received a multitude of offers to move Durant. The compensation to acquire Durant is unprecedented. Most teams in the league aren't willing to leverage their entire future for Durant.
Rumors suggest Danny Ainge is looking to receive seven of the Knicks' eight first-round picks for Donovan Mitchell. The Jazz received five first-round picks for Rudy Gobert.
So, what would it take to acquire Kevin Durant?
The answer is murky, but it will undoubtedly include either established All-Stars or young players with high upsides.
In the last few weeks, the Golden State Warriors have been deemed suitors for Durant. The Warriors have picks and young talent.
However, the Brooklyn Nets don't seem too high on the value of Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole. Wiggins and Poole had breakout seasons last year. Poole averaged 18.5/3.4/4.0 in the regular season, and Wiggins secured his first All-Star selection.
Zach Lowe, on ESPN's "The Lowe Post," talked about how the Brooklyn Nets feel about Wiggins and Poole in a trade package for Durant:
"That's where you would negotiate. You would end up keeping a Kuminga or a Moody. The issues are Wiggins and Simmons. You run into the designated rookie fiasco. The intel I have is that the Nets are not super high on Wiggins or Poole as sort of centerpiece players.
"Then you get to the other guys who are relatively unproven in the NBA. So I don't know if there ever really was a deal there that the Nets would have done. Obviously, you have to explore it if you're the Warriors."
The Brooklyn Nets-Kevin Durant dynamic has dilapidated
The central issue for Durant and Irving's return remains a lack of willingness mixed with a sour team dynamic.
Kyrie Irving opted into his player option for the 2022-23 season but could be traded to the LA Lakers. Bruce Brown got his payday with the Denver Nuggets. Andre Drummond, who came over in the Simmons trade, left for Chicago.
“[Kevin Durant] is one the nicest people you’d ever want to be around… people misread him, who he is as a person. This is one of the greatest players we’ve ever seen… he’s not gonna be traded. You can’t give enough to get a guy like him…”
- Jerry West on Kevin Durant https://t.co/1gYj6bhGOP
Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldrige are free agents and are unlikely to sign with the Nets.