The largest looming storyline in the NBA offseason has been Kevin Durant’s trade request from the Brooklyn Nets. Despite the four years he has remaining on his deal, Durant appears dead-set on forcing his way out of Brooklyn. Teams around the NBA have each put together a variety of offers in an attempt to land the former MVP. While teams like the Celtics, Raptors, and Heat seem to be the most serious suitors, there were a few surprise teams who emerged in the latest report from Shams Charania of The Athletic.

“The Philadelphia 76ers expressed recent interest in Durant while the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets also inquired with the Nets in late June and early July to gauge the price tag, according to sources.”

While the Sixers have been rumored to be interested before, the Bucks and Nuggets are new to the KD sweepstakes. This would be an interesting move for Denver who will be searching to fully flip the switch into win-now mode next season. Injuries have derailed their progress a great deal as the team was without Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr for almost the entirety of last season. Getting back these two key players will help with this regardless, however, it is clear neither one has the same superstar impact as Durant.

It is clear the Nets are holding a high bar for what they would accept in a swap for KD. However, the Nuggets may just have the win-now pieces Brooklyn is searching for and become a dark horse to land the superstar.

The perfect trade Nuggets must offer Nets for Kevin Durant

Nuggets Get: Kevin Durant, Joe Harris

Nets Get: Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr, 2029 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick swap

Giving up Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr is a steep price but likely what it would take to land the superstar. Without the duo, the Nuggets were still able to secure a 48-34 record and earn the 6th seed in the West last season. This somewhat softens the blow of the trade as the team saw great success without both key players on the court. While it would shorten the championship window due to Kevin Durant’s age, 33, the gamble would be that a duo of Durant and Jokic is good enough to contend for a title which is a fair belief to have.

The Nets have been demanding a haul of draft picks in addition to win-now players which would be difficult for the Nuggets to meet. It is illegal for NBA teams to trade first-round picks in consecutive seasons which limits what Denver can offer. The 2029 first-round pick would be the first unprotected selection the Nuggets could offer. Adding in a variety of pick swaps or protections is also possible, although the duo of MPJ and Murray is certainly the biggest appeal.

Adding Kevin Durant to play alongside Nikola Jokic would pair up two of the most unique offensive talents in the modern NBA. It also would further lead the franchise toward the direction of position-less basketball which they already seem destined to be heading down. Denver already has some notable rotational pieces in place that are built to contend now. Guys like Bruce Brown, Aaron Gordon, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Bones Hyland all are set to excel in their complementary roles. It was clear the Nuggets lacked top-end talent in the postseason and adding Durant would solve this.

It may not have made his initial list, but the Nuggets should also be looked at as a favorable landing spot by Durant. While he has played with a lengthy list of accomplished players, Nikola Jokic is likely the best passer he has ever played alongside. This has the potential to make life much easier for Durant as he could find himself with easy buckets in a way that has never been the case for him. Durant would still be the primary scoring option and provide Jokic with a true scorer to lean on and play alongside. The two-time MVP has played a vital role in everything the Nuggets have done in recent years and adding an offensive weapon of Durant’s caliber would increase the team’s chances greatly.

Teams around the NBA seem to be extremely cautious when putting together their offers for Durant. These low-ball offers have opened the door for the Nuggets to sweep in and land the superstar. A duo of Durant and Jokic offers frightening versatility and offensive potential which could give Denver their best chance at securing the franchise’s first-ever NBA championship. The Nuggets are not looked at as serious suitors for Durant at the moment, but an offer of this magnitude would certainly change this.