Could Kyrie Irving trade request reignite Raptors’ Kevin Durant chase?

In the 2021-22 season, the Toronto Raptors pleasantly surprised the league by winning 48 games and earning the No. 5 seed while the Brooklyn Nets were mired in nonstop chaos. The roles appeared to be reversed this season, as Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were named All-Stars while the Raptors were struggling.

After an offseason of constant trade rumors amid Irving and Durant’s mutual discontent with the franchise, specifically head coach Steve Nash and GM Sean Marks, they appeared to bury the hatchet. Despite winning games with Jacque Vaughn as the head coach, Irving remains unsatisfied.

The latest reports claim that Irving requested a trade before the February 9 deadline, signaling that he will leave in free agency in the offseason if his demand is not met. While Durant appears to have made his mind up on sticking in Brooklyn, could this development change his mind?

The Raptors were right at the front of the Durant chase in the offseason, and they could go right back there again if he does decide that Brooklyn without his buddy Irving is not for him. Masai Ujiri could get his swagger back if he somehow pulls this off.

Can Toronto Raptors get Kevin Durant after Kyrie Irving’s trade request?

The Raptors were unable to land Durant in a trade in the offseason, with Ujiri reportedly unwilling to put Scottie Barnes at the centerpiece of any package going to Brooklyn. Even though Barnes’ numbers aren’t drastically different from last year, Scottie is still likely a non-starter.

Trade candidates Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. can both be free agents if they’d decline their player option, but Ujiri might be able to pull off a crazy sign-and-trade with one or both of them involved if he is genuinely pursuing Durant. Even if they don’t trade OG Anunoby at the deadline, he is still under contract for one more season.

While Durant’s body is a major concern due to his injury history, the fact that he is still averaging just under 30 points per game with some efficiency that boggles the mind would make the Raptors an instant championship contender. Even in a lousy season, Toronto has a full cupboard of trade chips to work with.

While the Nets will likely hold onto Durant and trade Irving, the idea of KD wanting out once again should not be discarded as a wishful fantasy. If that domino falls over, Ujiri needs to get on the phone with Marks and refuse to hang up until a deal for Durant is ironed out.