ESPN’s Raptors trade package for Kevin Durant is laughably bad

The Toronto Raptors are one of the most logical landing spots for Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant, as they don’t need to necessarily part with stars like Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes to acquire him. That will help Masai Ujiri establish himself as the best KD trade partner.

Derek Jacoby devoted an entire segment on his “Jalen and Jacoby” show to making fans irritated with the package Brooklyn would receive. Former Raptor Jalen Rose made things worse by devaluing the best assets Toronto has to offer. Raptors fans, this will make your blood boil.

Jacoby suggested trading Barnes and Siakam to go along with multiple future first-round picks. Perhaps even crazier is the fact that Rose said NO to the package because Barnes and Siakam, who won Rookie of the Year and made All-NBA, respectively, were not All-Stars.

Isn’t the point of trading for Durant to bring him to a contending team? Why on earth would you trade your best short and long-term assets to do so? Please tell me how this makes one iota of sense. Furthermore, tell me how the Nets turning that offer down makes sense for Brooklyn? Just a mess from start to finish.

Toronto Raptors: Jalen Rose had a ridiculous package for Kevin Durant.

If you want to make Siakam or Barnes the headliner of a Durant package, there is at least some kernel of logic behind it, even if Toronto would likely never pull off such a move. Putting both of them in is ridiculous, as the Raptors would have no protection if Durant ends up fizzling.

To make matters worse, Rose resorted to lowest common denominator trolling, inviting Raptors fans to call their show’s phone number and “whine about it.” Using the “best voicemails” on their podcast is trolling of the highest order. Making a ridiculous fake trade to get a fanbase riled up is sad.

Jacoby and Rose know how this fanbase operates. They knew full well that he would get this group angry by suggesting such an implausible move. If that was the goal from the start, well played. There’s no way he believes that Toronto is that loosely attached to both of their star forwards.

Ujiri is negotiating from a very unique position, as he can make a firm offer for Durant using his second-tier assets without caving to whatever the Nets want out of desperation. Apparently unaware of that fact, Rose and Jacoby concocted one of the most unrealistic trades you’ll ever see.