Bump thread for Kevin Durant

[dougthonus]

I disagree. Durant would want to play with Zach.

That's the point though... KD has no leverage. He's under contract for several more years. What's he gonna do? Sit out the last years of his career if he doesn't get exactly what he wants? He wouldn't kill his legacy like that.

Outside of Zach, the Bulls have nothing that comes close to the return value that KD demands. No way the Nets accept anything less than a package that starts with Zach.

I just don't agree. You start with Vuc or DeMar, add some combo out of Pat/Ayo/Coby/Terry, add some firsts on top of that, Brooklyn has to at least think about it. Bulls could also surprise and throw Lonzo into the mix.

Phoenix offering Ayton + Bridges trumps whatever the Bulls could offer and puts Durant where he wants to go.

[jStuNNa]

I disagree. Durant would want to play with Zach.

That's the point though... KD has no leverage. He's under contract for several more years. What's he gonna do? Sit out the last years of his career if he doesn't get exactly what he wants? He wouldn't kill his legacy like that.

Outside of Zach, the Bulls have nothing that comes close to the return value that KD demands. No way the Nets accept anything less than a package that starts with Zach.

I just don't agree. You start with Vuc or DeMar, add some combo out of Pat/Ayo/Coby/Terry, add some firsts on top of that, Brooklyn has to at least think about it. Bulls could also surprise and throw Lonzo into the mix.

No offense to any of those players, but none of them have enough value without Zach to interest the Nets.

[WindyCityBorn]

I disagree. Durant would want to play with Zach.

That's the point though... KD has no leverage. He's under contract for several more years. What's he gonna do? Sit out the last years of his career if he doesn't get exactly what he wants? He wouldn't kill his legacy like that.

Outside of Zach, the Bulls have nothing that comes close to the return value that KD demands. No way the Nets accept anything less than a package that starts with Zach.

This is the NBA players have all the power. 76ers tried to old school it and they still had to trade Simmons.

They got a better player than Simmons by holding out.

[Jcool0]

I personally am not a huge fan of Donovans but I thought he had a pretty good reputation round the league? Not sure why having Donovan would count the Bulls out.

KD played for him in OKC and apparently didn't love him.

Oh, duh. completely forgot about that, my bad

Durant told USA Today Sports on Tuesday, "To know that I affected Billy Donovan and the Thunder -- like I love those people and I don't never [want to hurt them]."

[nomorezorro]

Phoenix offering Ayton + Bridges trumps whatever the Bulls could offer and puts Durant where he wants to go.

ayton has to want to go to brooklyn in this scenario, fwiw

[boozapalooza]

I really don’t see how we or anyone can beat a package of Ayton & Cam Johnson, Mikael Bridges and picks for KD.. allowing KD to pair with Paul and Booker.

Yes BKN wants the best return possible, but I could see them not wanting appease KD and not trading him to his preferred destinations of PHX or Miami. Sounds like BKN wants Booker in return which will never happen. BKN has to be pissed at KD for requesting a trade and could get a good offer from multiple teams. They might try to spite him. This league man.

[Repeat 3-peat]

The Bulls aren't landing KD. The front office now has to make sure to take advantage of that fact that there is now one less competitive team in the East.

[bulls_4_life]

Imo, this thread is futile. I don't see anyway the bulls land Durant. Just my 2 cents

[dougthonus]

Phoenix offering Ayton + Bridges trumps whatever the Bulls could offer and puts Durant where he wants to go.

ayton has to want to go to brooklyn in this scenario, fwiw

True, but I think Ayton will want to go where he can get paid, so if Brooklyn is willing to pay and Phoenix plays hard ball on places they will send him to, then I suspect this problem goes away. That said, I'm not Ayton, and he may have very strong different feelings or another suiter could come out for him that forces Phoneix's hand.

[nomorezorro]

now if you did trade lavine, is it possible to make follow-up moves to make it worth it?

my understanding is you can't just trade lavine+picks for durant; you'd have to package 15-20m in salary with him because he'd be a byc guy on a sign+trade. i found variations of trades that worked built around lavine+vuc, lavine+ball and lavine+coby+caruso. i'm gonna walk myself through the last scenario and you all have to read it whether it's worthwhile or not

ball/ayo
derozan
javonte/terry
durant/williams
vucevic

you've still got vuc and pat to play with as trade pieces, maybe try to get a veteran wing and use the tmle on a filler starting center?

probably not worth it to push in the chips for the next couple of seasons but i dunno, there could be something there

[Jcool0]

Read on Twitter

[jStuNNa]

I disagree. Durant would want to play with Zach.

That's the point though... KD has no leverage. He's under contract for several more years. What's he gonna do? Sit out the last years of his career if he doesn't get exactly what he wants? He wouldn't kill his legacy like that.

Outside of Zach, the Bulls have nothing that comes close to the return value that KD demands. No way the Nets accept anything less than a package that starts with Zach.

This is the NBA players have all the power. 76ers tried to old school it and they still had to trade Simmons.

This is different though. KD is one of, if not the most valuable trade asset in the NBA, and he's under contract for 4 more years.

No GM is going to commit career suicide by not getting a big return for KD. The Bulls don't have that without Zach. The Sun's do, even without Booker, and that's apparently where KD wants to go as well.

[weneeda2guard]

Couple game changers here

1. Ayton is technically a free agent. If he doesnt want Brooklyn that stops him going to the nets and thwarts Durant to the Suns
2. Durant has a no trade clause. So he has some leverage of where he wants to go. So no sending him to the pacers for Haliburton turner brogdan and 4 future picks. Gotta be a place Durant wants to go.

The thinking here imo has to be just getting lavine derozan and Durant together and filling it out as this season goes and next season goes.

The package we offer will hurt our feelings in this scenario but if you want titles you have to do it.

You call the nets and start with 2 names, Patrick Williams and ayo donsumu. They will listen and not hang up so quick. Then you add pieces to that package like Portland pick, 2 of our future 1st unprotected (maybe you try and move coby for another 1st don't know how successful we will be in that ) and maybe 2 future picks swaps. Now you have to add the money. Again this one hurts but do you want titles? You add vucevic because he is an expiring and you add Caruso because he helps keep them competitive.

Pwill
Ayo
Caruso
Vucevic
2 future 1st
Portland pick
2 future pick swaps

Is a helluva package

[Red8911]

Imo, this thread is futile. I don't see anyway the bulls land Durant. Just my 2 cents

They won’t and honestly they shouldn’t. Whoever gets him will have to give up a lot for someone that is almost 34 years old that’s injury prone and just failed badly in the playoffs. Also if he feels any discomfort can ask for trade an any time, so anything they give up willl go straight to the garbage.

[Jcool0]

Imo, this thread is futile. I don't see anyway the bulls land Durant. Just my 2 cents

They won’t and honestly they shouldn’t. Whoever gets him will have to give up a lot for someone that is almost 34 years old that’s injury prone and just failed badly in the playoffs. Also if he feels any discomfort can ask for trade an any time, so anything they give up willl go straight to the garbage.

He is one of the best players ever still playing great basketball. If you can get him you have to do whatever.

[dougthonus]

now if you did trade lavine, is it possible to make follow-up moves to make it worth it?

my understanding is you can't just trade lavine+picks for durant; you'd have to package 15-20m in salary with him because he'd be a byc guy on a sign+trade. i found variations of trades that worked built around lavine+vuc, lavine+ball and lavine+coby+caruso. i'm gonna walk myself through the last scenario and you all have to read it whether it's worthwhile or not

ball/ayo
derozan
javonte/terry
durant/williams
vucevic

you've still got vuc and pat to play with as trade pieces, maybe try to get a veteran wing and use the tmle on a filler starting center?

probably not worth it to push in the chips for the next couple of seasons but i dunno, there could be something there

You could add salary with TBJ / DDJ in S&Ts with the Nets. Both project to make less than the BYC pieces of their current deals IMO, so it's a good deal for both of them. That gets you about 20M more.

[WindyCityBorn]

I hope we get outbid. It’s not happening regardless.

[jStuNNa]

Couple game changers here

1. Ayton is technically a free agent. If he doesnt want Brooklyn that stops him going to the nets and thwarts Durant to the Suns
2. Durant has a no trade clause. So he has some leverage of where he wants to go. So no sending him to the pacers for Haliburton turner brogdan and 4 future picks. Gotta be a place Durant wants to go.

The thinking here imo has to be just getting lavine derozan and Durant together and filling it out as this season goes and next season goes.

The package we offer will hurt our feelings in this scenario but if you want titles you have to do it.

You call the nets and start with 2 names, Patrick Williams and ayo donsumu. They will listen and not hang up so quick. Then you add pieces to that package like Portland pick, 2 of our future 1st unprotected (maybe you try and move coby for another 1st don't know how successful we will be in that ) and maybe 2 future picks swaps. Now you have to add the money. Again this one hurts but do you want titles? You add vucevic because he is an expiring and you add Caruso because he helps keep them competitive.

Pwill
Ayo
Caruso
Vucevic
2 future 1st
Portland pick
2 future pick swaps

Is a helluva package

I don't think KD has a no trade clause.

[Dan Z]

Probably the only way KD lands in Chicago is if he explicitly calls out Chicago as the place he wants to land.

You're probably right, but the fact that this is happening shows that Marks is doing what he thinks is best for the franchise and not giving in to whatever Kyrie and KD want.

Otherwise he'd just give Kyrie the full max and I bet KD stays.

Article came out today saying KD and Kyrie haven't talked since Kyrie opted in and KD demanded a trade and requested Heat/Suns as the teams he wants to go to and that the Nets will accommodate his request.

Negotiations are still early. I just saw this. What if the Suns say no to trading Booker? Then what?

I don't think the Heat have much to offer.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/267659/Nets-Will-Only-Trade-Kevin-Durant-To-Suns-If-Devin-Booker-Included

[umfan83]

Couple game changers here

1. Ayton is technically a free agent. If he doesnt want Brooklyn that stops him going to the nets and thwarts Durant to the Suns
2. Durant has a no trade clause. So he has some leverage of where he wants to go. So no sending him to the pacers for Haliburton turner brogdan and 4 future picks. Gotta be a place Durant wants to go.

The thinking here imo has to be just getting lavine derozan and Durant together and filling it out as this season goes and next season goes.

The package we offer will hurt our feelings in this scenario but if you want titles you have to do it.

You call the nets and start with 2 names, Patrick Williams and ayo donsumu. They will listen and not hang up so quick. Then you add pieces to that package like Portland pick, 2 of our future 1st unprotected (maybe you try and move coby for another 1st don't know how successful we will be in that ) and maybe 2 future picks swaps. Now you have to add the money. Again this one hurts but do you want titles? You add vucevic because he is an expiring and you add Caruso because he helps keep them competitive.

Pwill
Ayo
Caruso
Vucevic
2 future 1st
Portland pick
2 future pick swaps

Is a helluva package

I don't think KD has a no trade clause.

He doesn't but he'd probably just refuse to play for the new team and request a trade if he went somewhere he didn't want to go. Then it will be a contest to see who blinks first. Knowing that is a possibility, no team is going to give up significant assets to acquire a player who doesn't want to be there and be forced to trade him for 30 cents on the dollar. Superstars have all the power in these situations.