The stages of grief apply for teams dealing with a superstar wanting out. They are going through the first one, denial. This is centered around the idea that they can't believe they aren't getting Booker AND Ayton?? They should be getting a lot more! You saw this a couple years ago with Harden when everyone expected the entire farm. Soon, it will be anger. They'll tell the teams "Well, your offers suck we're not trading him then, F you all, he's staying, we're working things out!" hoping that some team will give them exactly what they want. Then you have bargaining, once they realize that the teams Durant want to go to won't gut themselves for him they will then be ready to tolerate a package they once thought was intolerable. Ayton and a few picks won't be so bad. The depression sets in after the trade. This was supposed to be scary hours after all, they should at least have one championship. Finally acceptance, Durant is gone and never coming back. Enjoy those good years (the few they had) and hope to move forward and not make the same mistakes.
I think the photo was a (lazy, no photoshop!) attempt to suggest they'd be teammates. Though, while obviously the Celtics would rather trade Brown, if it came down to Tatum, the argument could be made that they should do it--Tatum isn't necessarily good enough to carry a championship-level offense, whereas Durant probably is (assuming more help than he had in the playoffs this year). It would make them stronger title contenders right now, while shortening their window.
Theoretically it could, but what is even one realistic scenario where they get young players back and they end up being good? The reality is that the types of young guys that can get you wins and be leaders do not really grow on trees. KD is one of a few players in the league who can single handedly get you some wins, Harden was like that as well but declining fast. You are not going to see a Luka, Ja Morant, Jokic, or similar caliber player involved in this deal going to Brooklyn. You will see another Ben Simmons type of player going to brooklyn, a guy who when drafted had the potential to be an MVP player, didnt quite pan out but did well enough to earn a max contract. You will see guys like Toby, Ayton, level players moved to brooklyn. It will be like those old Knick teams with a hodgepodge of max guys that don't really make any sense together. Simmons will likely not be playing 82 games, and who knows what he will be like with his own team. If you watched part time Kyrie at the end of last season, and even KD when he came back, those guys still have the ability to just turn it on after missing an entire season and being relevant in the playoffs. They just had a ton of their role players hurt this year too, so that end of year push didnt really work out. I just do not see a scenario where KD leaving is going to make the team have more wins in the near or long term. Obviously there is something majorly wrong with the Brooklyn franchise if KD does not trust them to build anything, they have never shown any success the last two decades, so I don't see guys wanting to sign there as FAs. Their FO seems incompetent honestly, Harden left, KD is leaving, Kyrie has his issues with them this makes the franchise look bad and im sure players and agents are taking note. So not only will you have a hodgepodge of max players that do not really fit together because they were the best you could get in a trade, but you will not have veterans looking to sign there either. You will have your elite role players like Harris and Seth Curry want out too. After the first season of disaster they will then try to move Simmons and the key player they get from the Kyrie and KD deals and they will accumulate picks. Then it is on them to be able to do something with those picks, which they won't even have control over where they land.
'Zero' Chance Lakers Offer Anthony Davis To Nets For Kevin Durant Kevin Durant has requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, but the chances of the Los Angeles Lakers offering Anthony Davis in return is described by one source as "zero." The Lakers are focused on trading for Kyrie Irving, who also appears to be focused on finding his way to the franchise. A scenario in which the Lakers would acquire both Irving and Durant in a package deal has been floated by multiple executives to ESPN. Durant has four seasons remaining on his contract and has the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat atop his wish list. Irving is on an expiring contract and has limited trade value currently.
I don't understand why there is so much work to make these deals happen. Even the most casual fans know that the only way to get Kyrie to the Lakers is to trade Westbrook to the Nets. Then, there will have to be other discussions to figure out where Westbrook ultimately lands. Okay, I could see the work involved there, but still, there's only so much either team could do because Westbrook is who he is and his contract is what it is.
LOL ol’ sensitive ass… Warriors Winning Championship May Have Contributed As Tipping Point For Kevin Durant Seeking Trade From Nets Wojnarowski also reported late on Thursday evening on Sports Center that the Golden State Warriors winning the title accelerated his decision. "Golden State winning the championship this season and just the flood of criticism and second guessing that landed on Kevin Durant, I think it contributed to a tipping point," said Wojnarowski. There has been "tremendous ferocity" in the Brooklyn front office surrounding the Durant trade talks. One team made an initial offer to the Nets and then called back with an improved trade offer for Durant. The Nets are looking for a trade package that beats what the New Orleans Pelicans received for Anthony Davis and the Oklahoma City Thunder received for Paul George.
The question is: would Boston do that trade? They have a very bright future and a really young core and almost won a championship this year. Are they ready to blow that up for one of the best player of all time (that has only had big success with the Warriors, who also had big success before and after KD was there) that just blew up his team and is 34 years old? If I were them I wouldn't do the trade...
For Brooklyn, they do the stages of grief twice. Not from losing dingleberry Kyrie, who totally telegraphed to KD how he's screwing over Brooklyn... ...But from all those picks they can't look forward to.
That's a great trade for the Nets. But no way Boston offers those three pillars of their Final's team. Brown and Smart maybe if they secure a point guard in some other way. Brown and Williams never. It'll be Brown plus salary filler and picks. Nets could take it or leave it.
Celtics trade should look something like this and it would be about the best they can get unless all they want is picks.
This works for both teams, IMO. I don't know who would be the other guard besides Smart, but the front court of Tatum, Durant, and Williams is strong.
Nick Wright threw out that same exact trade. (And two others) Brown, White, 2 firsts Ingram, Hayes, 5 firsts (maybe some swaps were included?) AD/Westbrook for KD/Kyrie (I think it was?)
