“That would be a package for Giannis” Nick Wright believes 34-year-old Kevin Durant is not the most valuable trade asset
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Kevin Durant and Nick Wright
On June 30th, when Kevin Durant’s trade request was made public, a shockwave was sent throughout the league. But since then it’s been only rumors and nothing constructive seen on the front. It has been reported that the Brooklyn Nets are asking for All-Star players and several picks for Kevin Durant. They had Durant through free agency and extended his contract for further 4 seasons in 2022. After investing so much on their marquee player, they expect good returns for it.
Rightfully so, he is a 2x NBA Finals MVP and moreover the team would not be hoping to leave their championship ambitions. However, Nick Wright believes it is too much for a soon-to-be 34-year-old star player.
Interestingly even before teams started putting together packages for KD, the Rudy Gobert trade was announced. Where the Utah Jazz traded Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Utah got five rotation players and multiple first-round picks. That trade value certainly up the expectations of the Brooklyn Nets as they had a more valuable asset who is a proven NBA Champion.
Nick Wright sees “trade value” as a dark spot in trading Kevin Durant
2-NBA Champions Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving joined hands at the Brooklyn Nets, making them strong title contenders. But injuries and Kyrie’s personal issues hampered their dreams as they won just 1 playoff series in 3 seasons and now the team is on verge of losing both their stars. While the Nets were ‘OK” with Kyrie’s trade, they were reluctant to move Kevin Durant, since they signed a new 4-year extension with the talented star.
And now that KD himself expressed a desire to leave the organization, the Nets are looking for profitable assets in return. Contradicting their demands, 37-year-old analyst Wright points out some of the “issues” with Kevin Durant as a high-value asset. On the First Thing First show, Nick explained his views putting forward Durant’s age and injury history as primary reasons to rethink the valuation.
He said, “I want to correct one misnomer out there. Folks keep saying that Kevin Durant is the most valuable trade asset in NBA history. Like he would be the best player ever traded. But it’s not just true, because of his age and injury history.”
He gave an example of then 26-year-old Anthony Davis’ 2019 trade to the LA Lakers, he continued, “The trade that I think is of equivalent value is when the Nets traded for Harden, and that’s about what the Nets should be looking to get back. The Nets gave away, for Harden, Caris LeVert, and Jarett Allen, four firsts, and four swaps.
Thrashing Nets claim for their 4-time scoring Champion, Nick considers that it could be a package for a younger player. He added Milwaukee Bucks’ 2021 Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in the discussion as he said, “When you hear that the Nets want All-Star players and half-a-dozen picks, that’s not going to happen for a 34-year-old Kevin Durant. That would be the package for Giannis (Antetokounmpo). It would not be the package for a 34-year-old Kevin Durant. So, I think right now the Nets have to recognize that.”
Durant had Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat on his wish list as per the reports, but if either of those two makes a move for KD, it would be a huge dismantling of their set roasters, but then Kevin Durant would make them a strong contender for the title. Still, both teams are reluctant to include their franchise player in any sort of trade – which is putting the Brooklyn Nets in a difficult position.
The Nets signing an injured Durant fresh from the Championship run, in 2019 was a show of complete trust in his abilities. They believed he would be the one to bring a championship to the city. But after 3 seasons of patience, and KD’s trade request they are in a very miserable situation.
Should Nets g ahead with a “compromised” deal is totally up to the front office’s decision as KD has the least say in his trade. But the Nets might be looking to keep their star and build a team around him to take a shot at Championship at least for next season.
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