Kevin Durant made headlines when he requested a trade from his team, The Brooklyn Nets. A player of Durant’s caliber is bound to fetch a substantial price on the trade markets. This potentially would jeopardize the Brooklyn Nets’ position in the league as the second potential trade-off after Kyrie Irving.
The announcement sent waves over the league, and most teams dashed with their offers, and the Chicago Bulls were not that far behind. With the Antetoukoumpo rumors also on the rise, Durant’s name also showed up as a possible interest.
Durant is under contract with the Nets for the next four years; his trade-off and fate fall squarely on them. This means the Nets can send Durant anywhere, and since the Nets have already traded off their draft picks with the Houston Rockets, it would only make sense to trade off Durant to remain competitive.
Joining The Chicago Bulls Could be a Possibility?
This plays to The Chicago Bulls’ advantage as they lack draft capital compared to other major teams in the league. The team has enough assets to acquire Durant, but they are not the only team that has expressed interest in acquiring the player. Miami, Philadelphia, and Phoenix have also expressed public interest in acquiring Kevin Durant. ESPN reported that more than half of the teams in the league have reached out in the hopes of striking a deal.
The Chicago Bulls have a strong possibility of acquiring Durant as he has nothing but good things to say about Chicago in his past interviews and reviews. A team that was made to win, and on acquiring Durant, could make its way into the championship in the next couple of years.
Since the Brooklyn Nets have made their interest in acquiring Bam Adebayo or Devin Booker from Phoenix or Miami public, It only goes to show that the trade-off for Durant will be for DeMar DeRozan or Zach LaVine. Suppose the Chicago Bulls get their cards straight. In that case, they could get a formidable lineup with the likes of Alex Caruso, Nikola Vucevic, Kevin Durant, Ayo Dosunmu, Zach LaVine, or DeMar DeRozan.
The Chicago Bulls contacted the Brooklyn Nets to discuss a Kevin Durant trade, per @JCowleyHoops pic.twitter.com/SyNOg2OPLJ
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 1, 2022
Change of Heart
Durant backed down from his request to be traded off, but this does not close future possibilities of a trade-off or that he intends to stick with the Nets. Durant, the 12-time All-Star, two-time Finals MVP, and one-time league MVP, while a high-caliber player, has been unable to establish and cement his legacy and status as an all-time great. Joining the Bulls could be his way to do this. The Chicago Bulls can easily acquire Durant with a package of guard Coby White, forward Patrick Williams, and wingman Demar DeRozan.
However, the odds are unlikely that Durant’s new home will be the Chicago Bulls. After an eventful summer, Durant finally decided to stick with the Brooklyn Nets for the 2022-2023 seasons. This came in after the rumors that Kyrie Irving would be leaving the Nets for the Lakers were shut down.
While many would likely like to believe that Durant’s new home would be the Bulls, they were never going to acquire him. No one except ESPN firmly believed that Durant would have preferred the Bulls as his destination. They likely made an offer as most teams did, but the move was not feasible this season.
Culture 🤘🏽🏀 @KDTrey5 @TexasMBB #UniteTheFamily pic.twitter.com/miqqsNZCDg
— Brandon Chappell (@Bzochappell) September 13, 2022
Keep Your Expectations Low Bulls Fans
However, this change of heart affects the Bulls, as the Nets are primed for blow-up this season. Any team that acquires Durant would likely be better off than the Bulls. However, with Durant sticking with the Nets, the Bulls only have them to worry about in the race to the playoffs.
The Nets’ big three, Durant, Ben Simmons, and Irving, are indeed talented and projected to propel the team into becoming one of the best teams in the East. The Draft Kings reiterate that the Nets are expected to get 51.5 wins and position three behind the Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks.
On the other hand, the Bulls are projected at 43.5 wins, making them the eighth team in the East. They would be ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are projected at 42.5 wins. The Bulls finishing at position eight would have them play first at the tournament while finishing at nine or ten would mean they had to do two play-ins to reach the playoffs.
No place like home. #BullsFest @MichelobULTRA | @gherbo pic.twitter.com/QNxLyFz4vk
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) September 5, 2022
What The Future Holds
Durant still has four more years in his contract with the Nets, and despite his trade request and his feelings of inadequacy in his team, he is set to remain with the Nets. The meeting is said to have been productive, and Durant’s stay with the nets would ensure the team continues to grow and build around him and his career.
His decision to stay with the Nets is the wisest considering his best and deepest roster to date was made when he joined the team in the summer of 2019.
Couldn’t block @KDTrey5’s shot, and I promise I’m taller than it looks 😂🤘 Proud you’re part of the @TexasMBB and UT family, Kevin, and thanks for hanging out on the 40! pic.twitter.com/IbCla5cp8B
— Jay Hartzell (@JCHartzell) September 16, 2022
Credits on Featured Image: Tim Shelby from Arlington, VA, US, CC BY 2.0
