The longer it takes for a Woj bomb and subsequent/preceding Shams bomb to drop about Kevin Durant being traded, the better it is for the Boston Celtics — at least according to MassLive’s Brian Robb.
Brooklyn’s front office has let it be known that no less than a star player and the maximum number of allowable picks and swaps will be necessary to pluck the 33-year-old star away from the Nets. The Celtics can’t meet that with Jayson Tatum under the CBA’s rules prohibiting two max-contract stars on an extension of their rookie pacts because of Ben Simmons’ presence on Brooklyn’s depth cap sheet. They can meet it, however, with the inclusion of Jaylen Brown, Boston’s 1A superstar that has had very interesting social media activity as of late. It’s widely accepted that any Cs swap involving Durant in green starts with Brown.
Ultimately, though, Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens balks at the asking price the Nets front office feels its entitled to in Durant negotiations: nearly half of a team’s draft picks for the next decade, and picks swaps in several of the years they’re not taking a pick from said team outright. Robb noted that the Cs ‘seem unlikely to get involved for now’ because of that condition.
He also noted that the longer it takes for the former 2x Finals MVP to be moved, the better it will be for the Celtics and all other Eastern Conference Contenders (like the Bucks) that aren’t directly involved with the KD-Kyrie Irving drama:
"“The Nets could try to slow play negotiations in partial hopes of Durant reconsidering his position as well with a fresh start to the year, something that seems unlikely for Durant according to (Shams) Charania. Either way, the longer it takes for a resolution here with Durant, the better news it could be for a team like the Celtics who seem unlikely to get involved for now. Assuming the Nets ultimately do trade for Durant, the fact that they are prioritizing players as much as picks should weaken the odds of their trade partner having enough left on the roster to remain a true contender, especially in the Eastern Conference.”"
Teams that could land Kevin Durant and be a threat to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference
Kevin Durant was not among the many problems the Brooklyn Nets had in 2021-22, though it should be seen as a problem that even with another All-Star caliber talent he couldn’t win a single playoff game. He is still one of the top players in the game, and may just need a more functional hierarchy than he had in Brooklyn. It is not great franchise culture to have a player (in this case Kyrie Irving) run amuck and force the franchise’s third star (James Harden) to demand a trade himself.
With a duo alongside Tatum in a Boston Celtics uniform far out of the question until the Nets get realistic about the kind of asset Durant is considering his injury history, a team like the New York Knicks could put together a trade package that starts with R.J. Barrett, could include Julius Randle and also feature several young players like Cam Reddish/Quentin Grimes/Immanuel Quickley/Obi Toppin, and still have a lineup that has Jalen Brunson, Mitchell Robinson, Evan Fournier, and whoever is left from the aforementioned group. The Miami Heat would have a contender if they can pull off a Durant deal and keep Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in the process. Brooklyn would not be equipped to contend with a recently swept and trade demand asking Durant-Irving tandem in the same lineup as a dormant Ben Simmons.
Wherever this leads, though, almost all roads lead to it benefitting the Boston Celtics.