Mavs' Division Rival 'Expressing Interest' in Kevin Durant Trade

The Southwest Division has historically been a tough one to play in, and it could strengthen that stance if Kevin Durant joins it.

By now, nearly everyone who pays attention to the NBA knows about the Kevin Durant situation. Durant demanded a trade from the Brooklyn Nets in early July, but the Nets have yet to give him what he wants ... mainly due to an insanely high asking price.

On Monday, things took an interesting turn, though the Dallas Mavericks might not be huge fans of the news.

Per The Athletic, the Memphis Grizzlies, a Southwest Division rival of the Spurs and the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference last season, have made "new inquiries" to the Nets about a Durant trade. The 12-time All-Star and two-time Finals MVP requested a trade from Brooklyn on June 30 ahead of the NBA's free agency period.

The Grizzlies, who secured a 56-26 record last year, tied the franchise record for most wins in a single season. Led by rising superstar guard Ja Morant, Memphis has a roster filled to the brim with young talents like Jaren Jackson Jr., Dillon Brooks, Desmond Bane, and Ziaire Williams. Along with five future first-round picks, the Grizzlies have a handful of interesting pieces to offer the Nets in what would be a massive haul for Brooklyn.

However, additional reports from The Athletic indicated that Memphis would not be willing to included Jackson Jr. or Bane in a potential trade for Durant. But even after trading multiple key pieces, adding Durant to the equation alongside Morant would be scary for the rest of the league.

Right now, one could argue that the Mavs are the team to beat in the Southwest Division. The Grizzlies finished ahead of the Mavs in the Western Conference standings last season, but Dallas, led by three-time All-NBA First Teamer Luka Doncic, was the team with the longer playoff run to the Western Conference Finals.

It might be a toss-up right now as to which team is the best in the division, but that would change in a hurry if Durant ends up in Memphis.

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You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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