Predicting the best players this season, from 20-11

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 Toronto Raptors have made it known to rival teams that they are interested in being involved in trades as a facilitator. In particular, Toronto would like to get involved in a multi-team deal where the Miami Heat trade Jimmy Butler.

“They want to get involved in any Jimmy Butler trade,” one general manager told Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.

The Raptors are reportedly offering Bruce Brown and his expiring $23 million contract in deals. Toronto is unlikely to retain Brown following this season. That makes his contract an attractive trade asset and could go a long way towards matching salary in what is likely to be a complicated Butler trade.

The Heat are said to have interest in acquiring Brown. The veteran guard played his college ball at the University of Miami. In addition, Brown would fit the Heat’s goal of acquiring win-now veterans on short-term contracts. Miami remains focused on making the 2025 playoffs, but do not want to add long-term salary to their books.