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Kevin Durant has been linked to a number of different teams since requesting a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. The Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, and Toronto Raptors have been closely tied to his name. However, a recent report from The Athletic stated that the Milwaukee Bucks inquired about Durant. Pairing Durant alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo seems unfair. But it is technically a possibility.
So what would a Kevin Durant to the Bucks trade look like? Let's create the perfect KD deal.
The Perfect Nets-Bucks Kevin Durant Trade
The Centerpiece
First off, the Nets would need to decide on a centerpiece to highlight a return package for Kevin Durant. One would imagine that either Khris Middleton or Jrue Holiday would be required to make this trade a reality. Giannis Antetokounmpo would be a dream player to receive in a deal, but the Bucks would likely have no interest in trading Giannis even for KD.
Middleton makes the most sense. He profiles as a small forward and could replace Durant in Brooklyn. Khris Middleton is arguably the most underrated player in basketball. He's a consistent spot-up shooter who has averaged at least 20 points per game in each of the past three seasons. He's also shot no lower than 37 percent during that time frame. Middleton is a capable defender and rebounder as well which adds a sneaky element of versatility to his game.
Jrue Holiday is an extremely talented guard. But Middleton is the best option to highlight a deal.
The Full Package
This is where it gets tricky. Some players are ineligible to be traded until a certain date, while both the Bucks and Nets need to consider salary matching as well. That is why both Holiday and Middleton would not be able to be included in the same deal unless their contracts were matched.
So who joins Khris Middleton in this Kevin Durant trade?
Grayson Allen and George Hill are options.
Allen plays with a tenacious mentality which may suit him well in Brooklyn. His offensive production tends to fly under the radar, but he averaged over 11 points on 40 percent three-point shooting last season. Additionally, Allen shot over 44 percent from the field. So he is someone who holds offensive value. Allen isn't a tremendous defender, but the Nets may have interest in acquiring the knockdown shooter.
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And then there is George Hill. Hill is a veteran point guard who possesses impressive playmaking ability. He is not a bad scorer given his age of 36. But his veteran leadership combined with his assist prowess makes him an intriguing asset. Hill would slot in nicely behind Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn this season.
But adding both Hill and Allen would place the Nets over the cap. So Brooklyn would need to send someone alongside Kevin Durant in this proposed trade.
20-year old Day'Ron Sharpe is a candidate who may peak Milwaukee's interest. The 20-year old 6'11 big man offers a decent amount of potential. At the very least, he would help make the trade work from a financial perspective. And any production he offers would be icing on the cake.
Picks
As talented as Khris Middleton is, this overall trade still seems lopsided given the fact that Kevin Durant is the main player in question. So the Bucks would need to add picks to make this deal come to fruition.
The Bucks don't own many upcoming first round draft picks. But if the Nets are willing to wait, Milwaukee could supply them first round picks in the late 2020's.
For now, Milwaukee could add a few second round picks.
In the end, two upcoming second round picks and two future first round picks down the road could get the deal done.
In the end, the odds of this trade happening are slim. But the thought of Kevin Durant playing next to Giannis Antetokounmpo is worth dreaming about.
