A panel of ESPN's NBA analysts recently weighed in on numerous topics around the Association. Among them was which player will be next to request a trade.
The panel could choose from Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Zion Williamson, James Harden, and Jaylen Brown.
Given that the former Boston Celtics wing is already being empowered to lead the Philadelphia 76ers, it's hard to believe that he'll ask out of the City of Brotherly Love any time soon, if at all.
The committee seemed to agree. Brown received two points, tied with Harden for the fewest. Davis had the most, garnering 10. Irving took the silver medal with four. And Durant registered three, tying him with Williamson for the bronze.
The Celtics should steer clear of a Kevin Durant trade
Even if the former league MVP and the Houston Rockets are in for a divorce, Boston shouldn't be eager to pounce.
A lack of lottery luck kept him from starting his career with the C's. They then made a valiant effort to land him in free agency in the summer of 2016. However, even with Tom Brady, one of Durant's favorite athletes, joining them when they made their pitch to him in the Hamptons, he was seemingly prepared to take his talents to the Golden State Warriors. Persuading him not to was probably a long shot.
The Celtics made another run at him after reaching the NBA Finals in 2022. They were willing to trade Brown to get Durant in green. However, it's hard to argue with how matters played out after that failed pursuit.
Two years later, Brown helped lead the franchise to Banner 18. He earned the Conference and NBA Finals MVP awards in the process. Not pulling off a deal for Durant worked out fortuitously. With the future first-ballot Hall of Famer turning 38 in September, the same likely applies to any potential future pursuit of him.
Trading for Kevin Durant isn't worth the cost for the Celtics
Acquiring him would require putting Derrick White or Paul George in the deal. Let's start with the latter, since he's the [far] less painful name to part with.
For starters, George would be in the deal to help match salaries. The value to convince Houston to send Durant to Boston would come from some combination of young talent and draft capital. If the situation in the Lone Star State were bad enough, maybe it would just cost draft picks.
However, George's salary could go towards landing a younger star. The prediction here is that Nikola Jokic will remain with the Denver Nuggets long-term. And Stephen Curry probably isn't leaving the Golden State Warriors. Sometimes, a mystery isn't worth waiting on. When the alternative is a 38-year-old Durant, it's better to be patient.
One would think that if White were in the trade instead of George, the Celtics would be paying less in whatever else they send to the Rockets. That still doesn't seem worth it whatsoever. He just averaged 16.5 points, 5.4 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and 1.1 steals. He earned a spot on the All-Defensive First Team. And his track record suggests he'll more likely than not bounce back as a shooter.
Kevin Durant is too risky of a trade target for the Celtics
The 16-time All-Star missed all but one of Houston's first-round playoff games against the Los Angeles Lakers. He was initially out because of a bruised right knee. When he made his series debut, he sprained his left ankle. That sidelined him for the rest of the Rockets' opening-round exit.
Outside of that, the four-time scoring champ has been durable the last three years. Even so, he has a concerning injury history. And as the mileage adds up and he creeps closer to 40, one can't be blinded by what he's still capable of on the court. His health is an undeniable risk factor.
Also, chemistry concerns appear to have plagued his teams in recent seasons. Maybe that looked different inside the locker room than on the outside. Perhaps it wasn't his fault. And it's not as if his squads were the only ones navigating their ups and downs. But he was the common denominator.
The social media situation with Kevin Durant was a significant distraction for the Rockets and was never truly resolved, per @sam_amick
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) May 2, 2026
“It is unclear whether Durant ever clarified to his teammates if the account belonged to him.”
(h/t @NBA__Courtside) pic.twitter.com/yZJ3z43BVU
The Phoenix Suns looked miserable while underachieving at the end of his tenure there. In Houston, the Rockets had to deal with a burner account that allegedly belonged to him making disparaging comments about his teammates. Before that, he also wanted out of Golden State and Brooklyn.
That history of chemistry concerns is another reason for a Celtics franchise that puts a premium on its culture to steer clear of trading for Durant.
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