Kevin Durant requested a trade from his team, the Brooklyn Nets, in late June. Following that, several teams, including the Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns, have been mentioned as potential trade destinations for Durant. However, rumors about Durant’s trade to the Golden State Warriors also emerged, and the team’s star player, Stephen Curry, shared his thoughts about it.
Kevin Durant’s trade request
Though player trades are not rare in the league, Durant’s request for a trade from the Nets on June 30 was quite a shock for the fans. Durant had never publicly stated the reason for his trade request, but he and his business manager, Rich Kleiman, were working with Nets general manager Sean Marks to find a trade.
At his request, Durant was eyeing the Heat and the Suns as his potential trade targets. But the trade wouldn’t reportedly be that easy since the Nets were not responsible for honoring any of Durant’s preferred destinations because the team would need to make a deal plan that brings the greatest return of assets for this trade.
Durant joined the Nets through a sign-and-trade deal in 2019 and signed a contract extension last offseason. As of now, KD still has three years left on his contract because he is under contract through the 2025-26 season.
During this season, Durant averaged 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. He only played in 55 games during the regular season due to his recovery from an MCL injury.
Rumors about Durant’s trade to the Warriors
Durant used to play for the Warriors back in 2016 and the rumors about him getting traded back to the team remain a possibility. In a response to this matter, Curry, the NBA Finals MVP, dismissed the idea in a statement.
Curry was seen in the American Century Championship tournament in South Lake Tahoe this weekend, and that’s where he told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole about the rumor and his team’s current roster that just won an NBA crown.
The star player was upbeat about the Warriors’ current roster and their chances moving forward. This fueled suspicion that Durant’s time with the Warriors was coming to an end.
However, Curry didn’t specifically comment on the improbability of the reunion between the Warriors and KD. “The rumor mill and all that stuff is part of the nature of the NBA and league. You take it for what it is. You know how quickly things can change, but I like where we’re at,” Curry said.
It was noted that the Warriors stars and Durant have reportedly spoken about the rumor, but the talk was more like a supposition rather than on a more serious note to actually realize the trade.
The Nets currently have nothing on the table in exchange for Durant. Durant is a three-time MVP, three-time All-Star, two-time NBA champion, and three-time Olympic gold medalist. With such a strong record, the Nets require a substantial return in order to part with their assets.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, if Durant finally gets traded, it will be the highest scoring average by any player who starts the next season on a new team ever since Moses Malone’s trade from Houston to Philadelphia.