Raptors’ top rival in Kevin Durant chase reportedly not close

The Toronto Raptors are one of many teams who are lurking in weeds amid all of the Kevin Durant chaos. With the Nets star telling Brooklyn that he wants out unless the coaching staff and front office are cleaned out, the Raptors could be in for the windfall of a lifetime.

The Boston Celtics were reportedly in on Durant to the point where even prized star Jaylen Brown was being considered as a potential asset who could go the other way in a trade. Such a move would be nearly impossible for Toronto to top in a trade.

With the Suns likely unable to acquire Durant thanks to the whole Deandre Ayton scenario, the Celtics represent one of the few teams with the necessary resources to acquire KD. The latest buzz, however, signals that Brad Stevens will not take that plunge.

Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe is reporting that not only are the Celtics and Nets far away from any sort of common ground on a Durant trade, but they have never really had any substantial trade discussions. This is a considerable development if Toronto is still pursuing Durant.

The Toronto Raptors won’t compete with the Celtics for Kevin Durant.

So far, there isn’t a ton of movement with regards to Toronto and a KD trade. The Raptors will likely be willing to send large chunks of the rotation and draft capital to the Nets, but trading away Scottie Barnes remains a bridge that the Nets are unwilling to cross.

The 76ers could be a threat for Durant because he and James Harden are reportedly patching up their rocky relations, and the Heat will always be a name for disgruntled superstars to consider. However, both of those teams lack tradeable assets outside of one or two needle-moving names.

Even amid reports that Durant could force a holdout rather than playing for Nash again, the Nets could be included to hold onto KD and dare him to skip time if no one meets their price. If this drags on, the Raptors could benefit as more prospective spots keep flaking away.

Durant in Toronto is still unlikely given the seismic shift that would need to happen for this deal to come to fruition, but it just became more likely now that an asset like Brown is reportedly not being discussed. Sean Marks may end up crawling back to Masai Ujiri at the end of this saga.