The Brooklyn Nets have recently announced that they will retain Kevin Durant and are no longer listening to trade offers for the former NBA MVP and scoring champion. That doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll finish out the remaining four years of his contract with the Nets or even that he’ll end the season as a Net.
Rather, Brooklyn did not receive any offers that they deemed worthy of Durant’s services and chose not to fold to his trade demand, putting the ball back into his court to see if he’ll sit out or play and rebuild his trade value.
Brooklyn’s relationship with both of its stars, Durant and Kyrie Irving, seemed beyond repair. Even if it’s to be believed that Durant will suit up for the Nets this upcoming season, unless the two end up failing upwards into a championship, it’s hard to envision a reality where Durant and Irving stay long-term and are happy there.
It’s more likely that the Nets will try to move both of their disgruntled stars again before the trade deadline than it is that either of them will be playing in Brooklyn for the 2023-24 NBA season.
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There seems to be a compromise in place currently with Durant and the Nets. However, it doesn’t change that Irving is playing on an expiring contract and the front office lacked enough trust in him to pass on giving him a long-term deal. Exploring the trade market is always an option.
Here’s a blockbuster trade scenario that would land Kyrie Irving with the Miami Heat: