The Brooklyn Nets are under no obligation to trade Kevin Durant to the team of his choosing, but at least one top reporter believes the two-time NBA Finals MVP may end up exactly where he wants to be.
Durant requested a trade this week, and the Phoenix Suns are said to be at the top of his wish list. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said Friday that he thinks the Nets and Suns will eventually work out a deal.
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Any deal for Durant would involve multiple first-round draft picks. The Suns hold all of their own future first-round picks, which could make them a logical trade partner for Brooklyn. Though, they have reportedly opened discussions with Phoenix by asking for a massive haul that the Suns may not want to give up.
Deandre Ayton is viewed as one of the Suns’ best trade pieces. Phoenix could try to work the restricted free agent into a potential Durant deal by way of a sign-and-trade, but Brooklyn apparently does not have much interest in Ayton. Of course, any information we hear about what the Nets want and don’t want could have been strategically leaked by someone within their organization.
While Windhorst said he believes Durant will wind up with the Suns, he did say Brooklyn’s asking price could become an obstacle.
“Phoenix is the place he wants to go, I feel reasonably confident of that,” Windhorst said on his podcast, via RealGM. “I think Miami is second. What I’m not confident over is that Phoenix is going to be able to give Brooklyn what they want. And I’m also not confident in what Brooklyn is going to prioritize.”
Durant is under contract for four more seasons, which gives him even more trade value. It also strips some of his leverage. The Nets have no real reason to let Durant pick his next team. Phoenix still has to have what the Nets want and be willing to part ways with it.
