Even before Kevin Durant put in a trade request with the Brooklyn Nets front office, the Portland Trail Blazers were already trying to convince him to come over. Both Damian Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic took to social media like your run-of-the-mill fan and posted KD photoshopped in Blazers gear.
Now with the trade request made public, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith revealed that Kevin Durant was allegedly in Portland alongside former Nets teammate Mike James, which obviously raised a few eyebrows amid all the trade talks. A Portland, Oregon native himself, James was reportedly holding a basketball camp that KD was slated to attend.
Stephen A. Smith just said on ESPN that Kevin Durant is currently in Portland for Mike James’ basketball camp.
👀👀👀 #RipCity
— Ryan Clarke (@RyanTClarke) June 30, 2022
However, subsequent reports indicated that while Durant was indeed once “scheduled” to attend said camp, the Nets star did not actually make the trip to Portland.
Fwiw I was told Kevin Durant isn’t actually at Mike James’ basketball camp in Portland as was said on ESPN. Was scheduled to be at one point but didn’t make it out, is my understanding.
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) June 30, 2022
Even Mike James later tweeted out, claiming that it must have been a namesake because Kevin Durant was not in Portland him him.
Must b another Mike James https://t.co/Ci06WGx0Zf
— Mike James (@TheNatural_05) July 1, 2022
The Portland Trail Blazers would certainly be an interesting landing spot for Kevin Durant if he decided to want to head northwest.
They have young pieces to offer in exchange for him in Anfernee Simons, lottery pick Shaedon Sharpe, Eric Bledsoe's expiring deal, and likely every single first-round pick and swap the Blazers could possibly offer.
KD would have a second star there in Damian Lillard and a couple of solid veterans in Jusuf Nurkic, Josh Hart, Jerami Grant and freshly acquired Gary Payton II.
But with the news that Durant didn't actually make the trek out there, the dreams of him moving to Portland remain just that – dreams.