The Brooklyn Nets are the ultimate case study in just how fast a title contending window can close in the NBA. This time last year, the Nets still had Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving in town. Sure, they were struggling amid Durant's injury-related absence, but when healthy (and when the vaccine restrictions in New York are lifted), there wasn't a single team in the league raring to come up against this scary Big Three. After all, the Nets went 13-3 in the 16 games they had played together.
However, we all know how the story played out. Harden wanted out of Brooklyn due to the uncertainties regarding Irving's playing status, and the Nets' 2021-22 season faltered as a result. To make matters worse, Durant requested a trade months later as well, throwing the Nets into even deeper flux.
Nevertheless, it appeared as if the Nets were in the clear after weathering tons of drama at the beginning of the 2022-23 season. In December, the Nets were rolling and looking like title contenders. But that didn't last long. Kevin Durant's second major knee injury in as many years threw the Nets in flux once more. Sooner than later, Kyrie Irving became the third member of the vaunted Nets big three to ask for a trade, effectively ending his partnership with Durant that lasted for all of 3 and a half years.
Now, it's unclear what the Nets would do with Durant. It's difficult to imagine the Nets star being too pleased with all of the recent developments in his team. Thus, Durant could very well revisit his offseason trade request; he's already 34 years old and he needs to maximize his remaining years as an elite talent.
And if that happens, the New Orleans Pelicans should be all over that opportunity. Here is the perfect trade offer the Pelicans must make the Nets for Kevin Durant ahead of the 2023 NBA trade deadline.
Pelicans trade Brandon Ingram, Trey Murphy III or Dyson Daniels, Kira Lewis Jr., 2023 LAL first-round pick, 2024 or 2025 LAL first-round pick (option to choose between those two picks), 2027 NOP first-round pick, 2029 NOP first-round pick to the Nets for Kevin Durant
It would take an absolute boatload for the Nets to even consider trading away Kevin Durant, regardless of whether he wants out once more or not. After all, the Nets owe it to themselves to remain competitive, having traded away future picks and swap options to the Houston Rockets for James Harden. Moreover, the Nets have Durant locked into a long-term deal that runs until the end of the 2025-26 campaign. Thus, there should not be much urgency on their end to trade away one of the greatest players of his generation.
However, if there's a team that could make trading away Durant worth it for the Nets, it's the Pelicans. It's difficult to find a team stocked with more draft capital and enticing young talent than the team from the Big Easy.
The time looks ripe for the Pelicans as well to make a move to expedite their contending timeline; as they showed earlier in the 2022-23 campaign, with Zion Williamson at full strength, the Pelicans looked as terrifying a team there is. Through the end of December, the Pelicans were one of the best teams in the Western Conference, and that was with Brandon Ingram having played just 15 games due to a toe injury.
It won't be too difficult to imagine just how frightening the prospect of facing a team with Kevin Durant, Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, and Jonas Valanciunas would be. Even with Durant getting up there in age, there's no question that he is still a much better player than Ingram is.
There may be concerns over Durant's injury-proneness. But it's not like Brandon Ingram is the epitome of good health. Over the past three seasons, Ingram has played in just seven more games than KD.
Plus, if the Pelicans were to pull off a blockbuster trade, their fans would very much rather trade away valuable pieces for a player of Kevin Durant's caliber, rather than do so for OG Anunoby. That's not a shot at Anunoby; Durant is just that much better.
At first glance, that looks like a lot to trade away. But this is KD we're talking about. If Rudy Gobert nabbed the Utah Jazz four first-round picks, one pick swap, and three solid role players, Durant will surely return more in a potential trade.
Thus, an All-Star caliber player in Brandon Ingram, a young prospect with tons of potential in either Trey Murphy III or Dyson Daniels, a buy-low prospect in Kira Lewis Jr., and four first-rounders seems like a fair enough price for either party in a potential Kevin Durant trade.
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