Celtics: Why Kevin Durant trade to Boston won't happen at deadline

Here is why the Celtics, or any other team, are highly unlikely to acquire Kevin Durant before Thursday's trade deadline.

A potential trade sending Kevin Durant to the Boston Celtics has been rumored for years now, but it'll likely remain a fantasy. Ahead of the February 9th trade deadline, there were reports of the reigning Eastern Conference champions showing interest in Durant, yet those talks have been dismissed by many.

Boston was checking on Durant's availability more out of responsibility than a genuine belief that they could acquire the future Hall-of-Famer, according to an anonymous league source who spoke to Keith Smith of CelticsBlog.

“We know [Durant and Boston] talked over the summer,” the source said. “But that’s a huge deal to make in-season. I’m not sure Brad [Stevens] would want to disrupt things that much. But it’s Kevin Durant. You have to at least make the call.”

A deal involving Durant would be very difficult to maneuver for Boston. He's on a long-term deal with the Brooklyn Nets, meaning the C's would hold little bargaining power.

Plus, the Celtics find themselves atop the Eastern Conference with a 38-16 record, so they're not desperate to make a franchise-altering move. The All-Star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown has helped the team get to this point, and bringing Durant to Beantown would probably involve packaging one of their homegrown talents.

To attempt such a drastic deal would not just be surprising, but “foolish” according to former NBA player turned ESPN analyst Jalen Rose.

"[The Celtics] would be foolish to trade Jaylen Brown at this point of his career and break up Jayson Tatum and that duo." —@JalenRose pic.twitter.com/g8MsGQBPvS

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) February 7, 2023

In reality, the Nets likely won't make another major spash at the deadline after trading away star point guard Kyrie Irving. Brooklyn's front office is discussing the franchise's future with Durant, but not actively shopping him to other teams.

In aftermath of Kyrie Irving trade, the Brooklyn Nets and Kevin Durant are having ongoing conversations on the direction of the franchise, but organization has thus far told inquiring teams that they’re not planning to trade him before Thursday’s deadline, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 7, 2023

With less than two days until the time the trade deadline expires, it seems unlikely any Durant deal gets done unless he specifically requests one.