LAS VEGAS – The Brooklyn Nets continue to hold the future of the NBA in the palm of their hands as they decide what to do with stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Both stars reportedly want out of Brooklyn after three disappointing years together, but should Brooklyn trade them? Well, if you ask Kenny Smith, the answer is a resounding, ‘No!'
Kevin Durant signed a four-year extension with the Nets in the summer of 2021. He's just become eligible for a trade, but as one of the best players in the league who has four years remaining on his deal, there's little incentive for the Nets to trade him. And if they do, the package for Durant could be the biggest we've ever seen in the history of the NBA.
The former point guard of the Houston Rockets, Kenny Smith helped win the two NBA Championships in between the Michael Jordan 90's three-peats. Smith now works for Turner Sports, where he's an analyst on the very popular NBA on TNT.
Smith made an appearance at NBA Summer League, and ClutchPoints caught up with him for his first public thoughts on the ever-developing Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving situation.
“If I'm in the Nets, we're gonna go over there, light some candles, bring some nice food, bring some roses, and they're staying,” Kenny Smith said.
“They're staying? You're not trading them?” he was asked to confirm.
“No, I'm not trading them. I'm not trading them. Those are generational players. You just can't get them. They don't come around every… How many Kevin Durant's did you see out here in the Summer League? Zero. How many Kyrie's did you see out there? Zero. I'm bringing roses, flowers, chocolates, and we're gonna stay.”
"No, I'm not trading them. Those are generational players. How many Kevin Durants did you see out here in the Summer League? Zero!👌🏽”@TheJetOnTNT tells our @TomerAzarly there’s no way he’d trade Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving. Agree or disagree? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/3MPscBo1lY
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) July 25, 2022
Kenny Smith does make a great point. Teams that trade stars essentially never get anything of equal value back for their player. A high number of draft picks usually gives a team some flexibility to decide how they want to improve their team.
The Utah Jazz acquired five draft picks and a haul of solid complementary players in the Rudy Gobert trade. The LA Clippers acquired solid complementary guys in Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, and Montrezl Harrell in the Chris Paul trade. It doesn't always happen, but sometimes the player package can provide depth that a team still looking to remain competitive may lack.
Smith believes the Nets will not get back any player near the level of Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving in potential trades. He's probably right. With regards to Durant, who still has four years left on his deal, the Nets are reportedly asking for a haul of draft picks and a couple of young players with All-Star potential.
As good as Durant is, Kenny Smith doesn't believe he's the best player to ever be available in a trade.
“Magic Johnson almost got traded,” Smith noted. “Hakeem Olajuwon almost got traded to the Lakers one time. But [Durant] is a generational talent that you gotta figure out how to keep him. It's a reason that everybody wants him.”
The Nets are in no rush to trade Kevin Durant, and it's reportedly very much on the table that they could bring the two-time NBA Finals MVP into training camp and start the season with him on the roster. With regards to Kyrie Irving, reports are that the Nets won't make any move with him until they've decided on the Durant.
The latest reports claim that the Boston Celtics have engaged the Nets in trade talks for Durant, but they aren't thought to have made any serious traction on a deal. The most enticing piece the Celtics could offer is Jaylen Brown, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, but it should be considered where a report of his magnitude comes from at 2:30AM EST.
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