Why A Nets-76ers Trade Involving Kevin Durant Doesn't Make Much Sense

Recent rumors suggest that Kevin Durant could be interested in going to the Philadelphia 76ers, but do the Brooklyn Nets really want to send him there?

What the Brooklyn Nets ultimately decide to do with 12-time All-Star forward Kevin Durant could have drastic effects on the rest of the NBA for numerous years to come.

Requesting a trade on June 30, Durant still remains a member of the Nets roster at this point in August and it seems like every single day, there are new bits and pieces of all the drama between Brooklyn and their All-Star unfolding.

Aside from all the rumors surrounding Kyrie Irving and him wanting a long-term extension with the Nets this offseason, Kevin Durant has made it clear that he is not happy with the direction of the Nets franchise and according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, he recently proposed an ultimatum to Nets owner Joseph Tsai, stating that Tsai has to choose between him (Durant) and both GM Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash.

Shortly after, Tsai offered his full support for the front-office and coaching staff, basically telling the world that he will not give into Kevin Durant’s demands.

The Boston Celtics have been brought up as a possible trade suitor for Durant given that they can include an All-Star talent like Jaylen Brown in a trade for him and both the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat also remain possible destinations for the 12-time All-Star. Another team that has recently gained a lot of traction in the “Kevin Durant Sweepstakes” is the Philadelphia 76ers, who SNY’s Ian Begley recently named a “welcome landing spot” for Durant.

Wait a second… Are you telling me that Kevin Durant wants to join the Philadelphia 76ers, a team that he has had “beef” with on the court over the years and team up with not only All-Star center Joel Embiid, but former league MVP and teammate James Harden, who just left the Brooklyn Nets last season?

This is a lot to process here and while these are all just rumors, there is always a little bit of truth to every rumor out there, especially during the NBA offseason. There are probably many within the 76ers organization that would love to add Durant to their roster and from Durant’s perspective, maybe he would be open to joining Philadelphia, who knows?

The big thing in this scenario though is whether or not the Nets are willing to move Kevin Durant to the Sixers because at the end of the day, the Nets are the ones with all the leverage in trade talks surrounding the All-Star forward right now.

Durant can make a list of all the teams he wants to go to, but there is not a “no-trade clause” in his new four-year, $194 million extension that began on July 1 and the Nets are not obligated to trade him to his preferred destination, hence why trade talks surrounding him have gone nowhere since requesting a trade.

In order for Brooklyn to trade Kevin Durant, they are going to need to be getting a ton of assets in return not only because they are trading the best player on their roster, but they will be getting rid of one of the best pure scorers and talents in NBA history.

He may be 33-years-old and recently tore his Achilles in 2019, but when he is on the floor, Kevin Durant is an MVP-caliber player that can lead a team to a championship. For this reason is why the Nets can be and have been very picky in trade talks this offseason.

Looking at the Philadelphia 76ers and what they have to offer, it is quite puzzling to put together a legitimate deal that the Brooklyn Nets would show high-interest in.

21-year-old guard Tyrese Maxey is definitely an intriguing option for the Nets to take back in a trade with Philadelphia, however, Tobias Harris and Matisse Thybulle present little value in a potential package. Not to mention, the 76ers gave up two first-round picks to the Nets.

One of these picks in 2023 was utilized already by Brooklyn to acquire Royce O’Neale from the Utah Jazz this offseason. The other future first-round pick the Nets have from the 76ers is Top-8 protected in 2027.

As for the rest of the Sixers draft assets, they have a 2024 first-round pick that can only be dealt in a swap of first-round picks due to the Stepien Rule and the same applies to their 2026 first-round pick. Their 2028 first-round pick is tied down due to protection backup for the Top-8 2027 protected pick they traded to Brooklyn, leaving Philadelphia's 2029 first-round pick as the one draft pick they can deal away as a truly “unprotected” first-round pick.

Basically, the best deal the 76ers can offer the Nets for Kevin Durant would consist of Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle, maybe a young player like Jaden Springer, one or two first-round pick swaps (if the Nets even have picks those years) and a 2029 unprotected first-round pick.

The Boston Celtics can make a better offer, the Miami Heat can make a better offer and the Toronto Raptors can make a better offer, which is why it is hard to imagine that the Philadelphia 76ers have what the Brooklyn Nets are wanting for Kevin Durant.

As ESPN's Bobby Marks put it recently, "When you look at Philadelphia and Brooklyn here... it is going to be a challenge..."

Why Philadelphia is on the outside looking in on a possible Kevin Durant trade.

| NBA Today https://t.co/lPFNhVFfF3 via @YouTube

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) August 11, 2022

There is always the possibility that the 76ers can get more teams involved in order to get the Nets the assets they want, but then things can get complicated financially and the 76ers really do not have a surplus of assets to give away in order to please the Nets or others in a trade.

On top of everything else, the Nets and 76ers both compete in the same conference, they both compete in the same division and they are rivals of one another. 

Why would the Brooklyn Nets want to help the Philadelphia 76ers out and gain very minimal assets in return that won’t help them much in terms of being competitive?

Getting an All-Star-level player and various future assets in return is what the Nets are looking for right now in a potential Kevin Durant trade, something the 76ers are unable to offer.