Report: Kevin Durant has requested a trade from Nets

Superstar forward Kevin Durant has requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, per multiple reports. This comes a few days after PG Kyrie Irving opted into the final year of his contract with the Nets. In another random move, the Nets are reportedly trading a 2023 first-round pick to the Utah Jazz for forward Royce O’Neale? Sure. Why not.

Anyway, back to Durant. We saw the Instagram posted last weekend from Portland Trail Blazers PG Damian Lillard with KD in a Blazers jersey. Might that be where Durant is headed in a trade? The Blazers have some assets to throw Brooklyn’s way, most notable recent lottery pick Shaedon Sharpe and budding star Anfernee Simons. Really, every team in the NBA should be considering packages to throw at Brooklyn for Durant.

One team that is being thrown out there already and is on Durant’s trade team list are the Phoenix Suns, per Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes. The Suns are listed as a preferred destination. Phoenix definitely has the assets to package and a deal for Durant could include a sign-and-trade for C Deandre Ayton, who is a restricted free agent. Pairing Durant with Chris Paul and Devin Booker would be ideal for the Suns.

Now we’re getting reports that it’s the Suns AND Miami Heat as preferred options in a trade. The Heat are super interesting. The sense was always that Miami would make a big play this offseason to make that jump ahead of the rest of the East. As long as the Heat keep Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, you’d think everyone else is available in a deal for KD. That trio would be formidable with the only potential snag being personalities and meshing. The emergence of Max Strus and Gabe Vincent both as pieces who could develop into solid players could make the Heat package appealing to the Nets.

Back to the Nets’ failed dynasty attempt. James Harden didn’t work out and was dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Nets gutted depth in the form of Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince and Spencer Dinwiddie to pair Durant, Irving and Harden together. The Nets were unable to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals and the most success the team had in three seasons was Durant getting to Game 7 vs. the Bucks in the 2021 playoffs.

Durant is signed through 2025-26 at a cap hit that is $44 million next season and increases up to $53 million in the final year. That big a contract will be tough to move without cap space, expiring deals or assets already signed to a max contract.