This summer in the NBA will be dominated by the future of Kevin Durant. The former MVP asked for a trade from the Nets and basically, the entire league was put on alert. Every team in the NBA wants a shot at landing Durant, as the circumstances around the deal are great. Durant inked a new, four-year, deal last summer, so whoever trades for him, gets to keep the Durantula for an extended period of time. One of the teams that could be on the lookout is the Memphis Grizzlies. They just made the second round of the playoffs and might look at Durant as the final piece of the puzzle. To help them offer the ideal package, here is the perfect trade the Grizzlies must offer the Nets for Kevin Durant.
Perfect Grizzlies Trade Offer to Nets for Kevin Durant
As we look at this deal, we need to first understand the full context behind the proposed offer. According to all reports from the situation, the Nets want a massive return and they understand how much leverage they have. Additionally, the deals that the Atlanta Hawks and the Minnesota Timberwolves made for Dejounte Murray and Rudy Gobert, respectively, as both squads got four first-round picks out of the situation. With all of that in mind, and with the aforementioned four years left on the KD deal, the trade would be:
Nets get Steven Adams, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, 2023 Grizzlies first-round pick, 2024 Warriors first-round pick, 2025 and 2027 Grizzlies first-round picks
Grizzlies get Kevin Durant.
Starting with the Nets haul from the trade, it is only logical that Kevin Durant on a four-year guaranteed deal brings this kind of return. Simply said, four first-round picks, all unprotected, is the bare minimum the Nets will take from any team, let alone the Grizzlies. When it comes to players, it will definitely sting the Grizzlies, especially losing Bane and Brooks, two of their top three scorers. For the Nets, both Bane, who is 23, and Brooks, who is 26, could be utilized to quickly rebuild into a playoff squad, albeit not one that could challenge for the title. Adams is a throw-in for matching salaries, but he can also be a good veteran option as a mentor to Nicholas Claxton. All-in-all, not the ideal package, but one that would definitely set the Nets up well for the future.
From the Grizzlies' side, there are a few reasons why they absolutely need to do this trade. The first one is obvious, they are getting Kevin Durant. Durant, even at the age of 33, is an amazing player. He just finished a season averaging close to 30 points per game, he has an MVP award, two Finals MVPs, two titles, made ten All-NBA teams, and led the league in scoring four times. All of this was achieved using a silky smooth jumper and his physical tools in terms of length and wingspan, rather than athleticism, so Durant should still remain effective as he comes to the wrong side of 30. He is an efficient scorer and one that cannot be stopped when he is on his day. The Grizzlies will simply never have a chance like this again, so they should take it.
However, that is not the only reason why the Grizzlies should offer this deal. Due to an explosion of young talent they had and due to Ja Morant's extension not kicking in until the 2023-24 season, the Grizzlies have some space to operate financially. Due to that, they can make this deal and still have some limited room to operate, with the possibility of bringing even more help to the core of Durant-Morant. If they want to really go all-in into this team, they could trade for another superstar by dealing Jaren Jackson Jr., but that does not seem likely at this point in time. In simpler terms, the Grizzlies have flexibility other top teams in the NBA do not have and they will not have it forever, so they should use it.
Lastly, perhaps the biggest reason why the Grizzlies should pull this deal off is that no one is coming in free agency. The tough truth about Memphis is that no one is really interested in arriving there, at least not through free agency. The Grizzlies really have to rely on utilizing assets they have and drafting correctly to become a great NBA team. It is inarguable that using all possible assets, even the budging youngsters like Bane, to land Kevin Durant is the correct way to go. If they want to really contend for the NBA title, the Grizzlies will send the Nets this offer for Kevin Durant, and the Nets would have to really think about it.
Follow Us
Subscribe