AP Photo/Nick Wass
Washington Wizards receive: Kevin Durant
Brooklyn Nets receive: Kristaps Porzingis, Deni Avdija, Johnny Davis, a 2025 first-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2029 first-round pick and three first-round pick swaps
Even if the Nets aren’t talking Durant deals yet, that might be an inevitability. Brooklyn zoomed past its worst-case scenario start, as the team has already made a coaching change, suspended Kyrie Irving indefinitely after he promoted an antisemitic film on social media and gotten almost nothing out of Ben Simmons (37 points in 191 minutes). And remember, Durant wanted out way before this tailspin started.
“I just can’t imagine KD wanting to be there, not because of his relationship with Kyrie but because the level of talent that’s going to be on that roster at this point in his career [will be subpar],” a front office executive told The Athletic’s Sam Amick. “I don’t see him saying, ‘Yeah, let me stick it out here and just be the eighth seed in the East for the next three years.'”
If Durant works his way back to the trade market, the Wizards should empty their asset collection to get him.
Washington is going nowhere fast with Bradley Beal, who signed for a quarter-billion dollars in the the summer. It doesn’t have enough win-now talent to make major noise in the East, nor are there blue-chip prospects coming down the pike. Dramatic change is needed for dramatically different results.
Durant, a longtime target and Washington, D.C., native, would certainly qualify. Maybe he wouldn’t make the Wizards a championship favorite, but good luck to any defenses trying to defend him and Beal, who have five 30-points-per-game seasons between them. Washington would still have a two-way forward in Kyle Kuzma, an offensive organizer in Monte Morris and a rim-runner in Daniel Gafford to round out what could be a formidable first five.
As for the Nets, a Durant deal should plunge them into a rebuild. Irving would seemingly be out as soon as Brooklyn found a taker, and who knows whether Simmons would remain in its plans. Long-term assets would trump all else, and Washington should have no trouble forking over as many as possible; goosing this offer with extra picks or prospects would absolutely be in play.
Porzingis is the Wizards’ easiest money-matcher, and the Nets could convince themselves he’d be movable down the line for more assets. The picks and swaps would be the biggest prize, but these prospects—or others, such as Rui Hachimura and Corey Kispert—could fill roles for the franchise.
Statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference and NBA.com and accurate through Sunday.
Zach Buckley covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @ZachBuckleyNBA.