Spurs received three first-round picks for Degaunte Murray, and the Jazz basically topped that Gives five back to Rudy Gobert – Modeling Kevin Durant. The Nets cling to an Elon Musk-level fortune in exchange for their star, who has demanded a deal, and they can get it.
No, make them have to have it. The King’s ransom payout on Durant will be General Manager Sean Marks’ only chance to salvage what is disastrous, to make this a quick retool rather than a long and arduous rebuild.
This situation He basically froze a lot of the league, including the Nets, as much as they decided what to do with Kyrie Irving. It remains to be seen where the nets will send Durant and how much they will receive. Jazz Bear is watching for the answer, both as a model for the choices the Nets might get and as a potential three-way business partner.
The Nets are believed to be looking for a young star to be the focus of the deal, as well as a host of selections. ESPN reports that not only are more than half of the teams in the league called Marks with proposals, but also some have gone back and forth to increase their bids before even getting a counter-offer. This is an unusual circumstance, but the whole situation is an unusual circumstance.
Usually players like Durant are not available. Durant asked to move out of Brooklyn not only because of the melodrama with Irving, but also because he didn’t see enough infrastructure and leadership in the franchise, Yahoo’s Chris Haynes reported on NBATV. But wanting to get out and go where he wants are two different things.
Durant has four years left on his contract and, shockingly, has no player option or no-deal clause. This has already curtailed his leverage in choosing a landing spot, and the volume of bids the networks receive will slash them even further. They will likely decide on one of these offers before deciding where to trade Irving and his expiring contract.
While the Nets will obviously work with Durant and their business partner Rich Kleiman in finding a suitable destination, Marks has proven unemotional and will eventually accept the offer that works best for the organization.
The simplest and cleanest moves could be to New Orleans (about Brandon Ingram and picks) or Toronto (about Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes and picks). Raptors coach Masai Ujiri replaced Kawhi Leonard in 2018 and won the title the following season. What would he give for four years of Durant?
There are glaring issues with Durant’s two favorite teams, the Suns and Heat, which could force the trade to be expanded to one or two more teams. That’s no stranger to Marks, who hit a massive five-team deal in the NBA.
Networks can’t take back the best piece of Hit, Pam Adebayo Center. Their collective bargaining agreement would not allow them to trade with a player on a certain entry-level stretch, such as Adebayo, because they already had Ben Simmons in such a deal. (Remember this CBA oddity. It will appear again. And again.)
Durant is said to only want to play for Miami if he’s alongside Adebayo, Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry, according to the Athletic.
The Nets can’t get Devin Booker back from the Suns and aren’t thought to be fascinated by taking the position of the Phoenix restricted free agent, Deandre Ayton, in tag and trade. But Arizona Sports 98.7 FF reports that Utah is exploring a trade for Ayton to replace Gobert. Phoenix can then forward incoming shots, along with forwards and forwards Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson.
But jazz could be relevant in another way, due to superhero Donovan Mitchell.
After Utah left Mitchell’s lifelong friend Eric Paschal, the netts were traded to his friend Royce O’Neill, and the jazz replaced Joubert, suggesting that they were rebuilding. That might prompt Mitchell to ask for a deal. If that happens, the Nets may be tempted to switch from Simmons to make any possible three-Mitchell deal.
There is a tepid market, at best, for Irving. And because any deal with Durant will likely be more complex and certainly more important, the Nets are intent on sorting that out first before sending Irving to the Lakers or elsewhere.
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