Following the completion of the trade that sent Kyrie Irving to Dallas, the Nets and star forward Kevin Durant are having conversations about the franchise’s direction, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
While Durant’s future has been a popular topic of speculation around the NBA since Irving asked to be traded last Friday, there are now just 48 hours to go until the 2023 trade deadline and there has been no indication that KD will follow suit and submit a trade request of his own.
In fact, the Nets have been telling teams that they don’t plan to trade Durant this week, sources tell Wojnarowski, who adds that multiple clubs have reached out to inquire.
Durant, of course, asked the Nets to trade him last summer, but after the front office unsuccessfully sought out a suitable deal for the better part of two months, he rescinded that request and he and the team agreed to “move forward” with its partnership.
Because Durant and Irving are known to be close and originally came to Brooklyn together in 2019, rival teams have been keeping a close eye on how Durant handles Kyrie’s departure.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on SportsCenter on Monday that Durant was “upset” when Irving asked for a trade, though Windhorst admitted he wasn’t sure whether the 34-year-old’s alleged displeasure was directed more at Kyrie or the Nets.
There has been a sense that if Durant asks out again, it’s more likely to happen in the offseason than right away. Even then, the Nets would be under no pressure to immediately grant the former MVP’s request, given that he’s under contract through 2026. Durant’s long-term deal and lack of leverage were thought to be the primary reason why Brooklyn opted to keep him this past offseason.
Having acquired two veterans – Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith – in the Irving trade who are capable of contributing immediately, the Nets are believed to be focused on remaining in contention in the short term and are reportedly scouring the trade market for upgrades to their roster.
