Day: February 7, 2023

After the Brooklyn Nets traded Kyrie Irving, speculation immediately turned to Kevin Durant’s future with the team. The main question: Would Durant reissue the trade request he made over the summer?

To date, Durant hasn’t said anything publicly about the Irving trade, or his desires following that deal. But NBA insiders don’t think it’s likely Durant gets moved ahead of the trade deadline.

While speaking on The Lowe Post, Zach Lowe of ESPN said he doesn’t think a Durant trade is coming in the next few days.

“I’ve been saying since the James Harden trade, that it just feels like the inevitable end of this is that (Durant) asks for a trade a second time, having already done it for the first time. I just don’t know how likely that is, or when it would happen,” Lowe said. “Around the league, I think there would be some surprise-even within the Nets-if it happened in the next four days. Because that’s an avalanche of stuff happening in a very short amount of time that all of the league needs to prepare for if it becomes a thing.”

The NBA and NBPA will extend an early opt-out deadline of the current collective bargaining agreement to March 31st as talks continues without a new deal.

The NBA’s seven-year CBA expires following the 23-24 season and has been pushed back once already from Dec. 15th.

There had been some hope from teams that a deal would be in place by the trade deadline in order to inform future payroll planning based on potential rule changes.

The league has shown a willingness to give up its push to implement a hard cap, which has been called an upper spending limit.

The top priorities remaining in CBA talks include finding mechanisms to incentivize top players to participate in more regular season games, a “smoothing” plan for the next cap spike, and to end the one-and-done rule.

Following the trade of Kyrie Irving by the Brooklyn Nets to the Dallas Mavericks, the future of Kevin Durant is the biggest question among NBA circles. Durant has yet to publicly weigh in on the trade of Irving, who arrived to the Nets in 2019 as a package deal. The Nets are believed to be hoping to maintain a supporting cast around Durant that can compete for a title.

Stephen A. Smith, however, reports that calls are being made about the availability of Durant via trade. The Boston Celtics were linked to a trade for Durant last offseason before the Nets pulled him from the market. Boston would almost certainly build a trade package around Jaylen Brown should a move be made between the teams.

“I’m hearing he’s on the verge of potentially being moved,” said Smith. Obviously, we’ve all been speculating about that, that he may be moved. They’re on the phone. I’m hearing Boston is making some calls. Keep your eye on that. Jaylen Brown. Keep your eye on that.”

Durant is signed through the 25-26 season, while Brown can be a free agent in 2024 and the Celtics are unable to extend him unless he makes an All-NBA team.

The Brooklyn Nets are reportedly interested in trading for OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors and their ability to trade for him or another potential member of that core could have improved following their trade of Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks.

“I still don’t know what the Raptors are going to do,” said Brian Windhorst.

“The Nets are definitely calling the Raptors over the last 24 hours,” replied Zach Lowe.

“If the Nets could flip some of this stuff that they got and pry OG Anunoby out of there, you may have something there with the Nets, but I don’t know if they’re going to be able to,” added Windhorst.

The Nets could potentially reroute Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith while they also own future first round picks from the Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers.

The Raptors previously had interest in Nic Claxton and offered Brooklyn a first round pick last year.

“I’m just telling you the Nets’ offering ability with what Toronto has is suddenly very interesting,” said Windhorst. “I’m just going to leave it at that.”