Latest Kevin Durant update could favor Raptors in trade talks
At this point, it’s fairly obvious the Toronto Raptors aren’t going to be upping their reported trade offer to the Brooklyn Nets for superstar Kevin Durant. BK is losing leverage by the day as long as KD controls the narrative with the media.
In recent weeks, the discourse hasn’t been encouraging for the Raptors in this endeavor, though. The Boston Celtics reportedly offered the Nets a package centered around star Jaylen Brown, which might be better than anything Toronto is willing to part with. Then, insiders revealed it’s unlikely multiple teams would engage to make a three-team deal happen because they don’t want to “help” the Nets.
Can’t blame them, to be honest! They made this mess knowing Durant is a fickle personality and now they can figure it out on their own with the offers they have from a number of teams willing to part with serious assets.
However, the Raptors have one advantage — and that’s the ability to give the Nets arguably more young talent than any other contender capable of making a competitive offer. On top of that, the latest update surrounding Durant could help Toronto.
Per reports, Durant holding out of Nets training camp still isn’t off the table, meaning the Nets might just get desperate enough to pull the trigger on a trade sooner than later as they look to prepare for the upcoming season.
In a meeting with Nets owner Joe Tsai, Kevin Durant reiterated his trade request and informed Tsai that Tsai needs to choose between Durant or the pairing of general manager Sean Marks and coach Steve Nash, sources say.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 8, 2022
Story: https://t.co/W1voNf9MDC
Kevin Durant ditching Nets training camp could greatly benefit the Raptors
The Nets might desire Scottie Barnes from the Raptors, but it’s evident Toronto doesn’t want to go that far. And if KD isn’t going to show up to training camp, the Nets have no say in demanding more in various trade packages.
If the Raptors wanted to sweeten the pot, they could offer VanVleet alongside guys like OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. in addition to plentiful draft picks. But they shouldn’t include more young talent that will be intrinsic to the future of the franchise with Durant continuing to play hardball with Brooklyn.
Additionally, Masai Ujiri has no reason to even add a guy like VanVleet, either. He can simply say, “This is the offer. Take it or leave it. Durant is about to sit out of training camp and derail your entire year.”
Source: Kevin Durant’s boundless love for basketball is not a reason to believe he’ll show up for training camp if the Nets don’t acknowledge his trade request. https://t.co/qjHS7bGEmJ
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) August 9, 2022
Either that or … the Nets can keep Durant and erase the infrastructure around him, which includes head coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks — Nash, who was hand-picked by Durant and Kyrie Irving, and Marks, who listened to every demand put forth by Durant and Irving to build the current iteration of the Nets.
Yeah … with someone has demanding as KD, maybe it’s best Ujiri keeps the package as light as he possibly can, because there’s no telling what the star will do once he touches ground in Toronto if that were to happen.
