Durant to who if they gets picks back from Houston?

[Xman]

So, looks like BKN has three choices.

1) Work out a deal with Kyrie - pretty much whatever the cost. This lets them continue one with a chance at a ring. The problem is that with Kyrie and Simmons on the roster there is a great chance at one or both of them driving off the rails at any time. Do they get the machine they could be - healthy dominating Durant, Simmons and Kyrie, and a healthy Harris. The problem with that lineup is everyone of them has injury issues and two of them have head concerns.

2) Let Kyrie walk. Take the best trade offer for KD. They should get enough for KD that they can still be a playoff team. Probably not a contender though.
I see ATL as a maybe here: some form of Capela/Collins/Bogdan for KD/Harris. IND has salaries that could also match.

3) Lean into the rebuild. But, Houston has their picks or swap options through 2027. So, this option is only viable if they could get their picks back. Otherwise, might as well stick with option 2. So, what would it take for HOU to give them back? After seeing what is happening with Kyrie, the possible value on these picks just went through the roof - and any team acquiring KD is going to be picking in the low twenties.

Choice one seems to make the most sense and is most likely. Choice 2 kind of sucks - especially after having they guys they have now. Choice 3 force them to deal with Houston - probably giving up the assets they could get for KD. Does not seem to make sense for HOU sell cheap when the cuckoos could sink the ship any minute.
Another wildcard is Simmons - but I do not think HOU or anyone else is giving up much for him right now. HOU might take him if the other compensation is not enough (Simmons for EGordon, Nwaba, Boban, Brown). I guess LAL fans can hope that Kyrie takes a discount and Nets throw in Simmons to clear cap with Westy and picks - but that is not a great return at all.

Anyway, since HOU has leverage, what kind of trade options are out there where HOU is motivated to return the picks/swaps (or most of them)?

1) Portland - the problem here is POR would need to get its pick back from CHI (otherwise 1sts are locked) - so, have to assume they do something with CHI first.
BKN get picks back (swaps in 2023/25/27, firsts in 2024/26), salary (Winslow, Hart, Bledsoe, Dunn).
POR gets KD, Tate, KMart
HOU gets Sharpe, KeonJ, all available POR picks.
This deal would let BKN lean into the rebuild and HOU could add Sharpe plus future picks (worth less than BKN picks). POR would be an immediate contender: Dame/Little/Grant/Durant/Nurkic with Tate and KMart helping out.

2) BOS
Nets gets picks back, White, Horford
BOS gets KD, Tate
HOU gets all available picks from BOS
Does not seem like a good pick swap for HOU - maybe some other incentive?

3) MEM
MEM gets KD, (maybe Tate, KMart)
BKN gets picks back (or most), some combo of expirings (Adams, Green, cap space or EGordon)
HOU gets picks from MEM (2024 GS and all firsts they can send).

See any other options?
Does some third team still value Simmons/Kyrie (or other BKN asset) enough to add incentive?

[Couch Potato]

Grizzlies could come up with the best package for KD maybe.

[Karmaloop]

Houston isn't giving the Nets their picks back for anything short of an arm and a leg.

[Dadouv47]

Houston would love to get Sharpe IMO in a potential 3 teams trade for some of the Brooklyn picks.

[MoneyTalks41890]

BKN out: KD
BKN in: Eric Gordon, Dieng, Bazley, 2024 BKN 1st, 2024 UTA 1st (10/10/8 prot), 2025 MIA 1st (lotto prot/unp), 2026 LAC 1st, 2026 BKN 1st

OKC out: Favors, JaMychal Green, Dieng, Bazley, 2024 HOU 1st (top 4 prot), 2024 UTA 1st (10/10/8 prot), 2025 HOU swap extinguished, 2025 MIA 1st (lotto prot/unp), 2026 HOU 1st top 4 prot, 2026 LAC 1st
OKC in: KD

HOU out: Gordon, 2024 BKN 1st, 2026 BKN 1st
HOU in: Favors, JaMychal Green, 2024 HOU 1st (top 4 prot), 2025 HOU swap extinguished, 2026 HOU 1st top 4 prot

[jayjaysee]

KD to Houston right?

I’m thinking Simmons/KD/Jabari/Green/KPJ lineups look fun.

[HartfordWhalers]

I think KD stays in Brooklyn.

[Xman]

Two trades in a row:

BKN gets Bledsoe, EGordon (or equivalent expiring if Gordon goes to team X), Nwaba
HOU gets Sharpe, KJohnson, Hart, filler (Winslow, Dunn), POR 1sts in 2023&2025&2027 (unprotected in 2023, protected top 4/ext).
POR gets KD, KMart.

BKN gets Westy, THT, (as part of it, BKN gets back all owed to HOU except 2023 swap option)
LAL gets Irving, JHarris, Tate, KMart
HOU gets Cam Thomas, LAL picks (2026 LAL 1st with option to defer until 2027, all the 2nds LAL can send)

LAL does not have much to offer but gets Kyrie and JHarris - along with a quality bench player in Tate. This puts them in contention: Kyrie/Tate/JHarris/LeBron/Davis.

POR gets KD. Dame/Simons/Grant/Durant/Nurkic. POR gets a shot at being great.

BKN clears out almost everybody. Still have Simmons (to build around or rehab) and get most of their pick/swaps back and future cap space.

LAL gets a possible behemoth: Kyrie/Tate/JHarris/LeBron/Davis

HOU gets Sharpe, Plus, 2nd year guys KJohnson and Cam. Plus, replacement picks even if worse.
HOU has projected:
pg - Porter, Tyty,
SG - Green, Christopher, KJohnson, Cam
SF - Sharpe, Eason
PF - JSmith, Garuba
C - Sengun
plus HOU, MIL and POR 1sts in 2023. And, POR/LAL picks.

[jredsaz]

Can’t believe Phoenix isn’t listed here.

Nets receive John Wall, Kenyon Martin Jr., Josh Christopher, 2023 BRK Swap, 2024 BRK 1st, 2025 PHX 1st, 2026 BRK 1st, 2027 PHX 1st

Rockets receive Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges

Suns receive KD

With the way Sean Marks operates I would suspect he would prefer the Suns picks and Bridges/Ayton but this gets him back his next two picks which would be the most important if he actually intends to tank.

Rockets run out Ayton, Jabari, Bridges, Green. Add Morris or Rubio at pg? Deep, young bench. That’s a crazy fun team next year and a possible title contender in 3.

Suns get what they really want, KD.

[Norm2953]

The problem from Portland's end is that Chicago owns their lottery protected FRP and they
really aren't free to move their picks until it conveys.

[Catchall]

Can’t believe Phoenix isn’t listed here.

Nets receive John Wall, Kenyon Martin Jr., Josh Christopher, 2023 BRK Swap, 2024 BRK 1st, 2025 PHX 1st, 2026 BRK 1st, 2027 PHX 1st

Rockets receive Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges

Suns receive KD

With the way Sean Marks operates I would suspect he would prefer the Suns picks and Bridges/Ayton but this gets him back his next two picks which would be the most important if he actually intends to tank.

Rockets run out Ayton, Jabari, Bridges, Green. Add Morris or Rubio at pg? Deep, young bench. That’s a crazy fun team next year and a possible title contender in 3.

Suns get what they really want, KD.

Zero chance that the Rockets give up that kind of haul for Ayton and Bridges. I mean, c'mon. They're paying a heavy price for KD without actually getting KD.

[jredsaz]

Can’t believe Phoenix isn’t listed here.

Nets receive John Wall, Kenyon Martin Jr., Josh Christopher, 2023 BRK Swap, 2024 BRK 1st, 2025 PHX 1st, 2026 BRK 1st, 2027 PHX 1st

Rockets receive Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges

Suns receive KD

With the way Sean Marks operates I would suspect he would prefer the Suns picks and Bridges/Ayton but this gets him back his next two picks which would be the most important if he actually intends to tank.

Rockets run out Ayton, Jabari, Bridges, Green. Add Morris or Rubio at pg? Deep, young bench. That’s a crazy fun team next year and a possible title contender in 3.

Suns get what they really want, KD.

Zero chance that the Rockets give up that kind of haul for Ayton and Bridges. I mean, c'mon. They're paying a heavy price for KD without actually getting KD.

I think thats hilarious. KD can be had for two firsts and a swap?

[VCfor3]

I think Brooklyn will have to convince the Rockets that them embracing a total teardown and helping make those picks great is worth giving up a portion of said picks. Basically if Houston will play game then they'll consider a rebuild and if they won't then they'll get the best return they can for Irving in a S&T (or just resign him) and continue to be a playoff team for the next few years. I'm not saying the Rockets aren't compensated appropriately for giving up those picks, but the goal is to maximize the value of the picks they do keep. I'll use Memphis as an example and ramble a bit.

Option 1: The Wemby Nuclear Option
Victor Wembanyama is supposed to be the prize amongst all prizes come next draft. Houston could help facilitate a deal that tears Brooklyn down while keeping the BKN 2023 1st (and turning it into an outright pick instead of a swap).

HOU in: Ziaire, Adams, Green, 23 MEM 1st, 24 GSW 1st, 23 BKN 1st
HOU out: Every BKN swap/pick, Wall

BKN in: Wall, Bane, every pick back except 23, 25 MEM 1st
BKN out: KD, 23 BKN 1st

MEM in: KD
MEM out: Bane, Ziaire, Adams, Green, 23 MEM 1st, 24 GSW 1st, 25 MEM 1st

Houston gets Ziaire who could be their SF of the future, two 1sts, some expiring salary, additional cap space, and the golden ticket aka 23 BKN 1st in what is supposed to be a loaded draft even beyond Wemby. An extra quality shot at Wemby though is the main appeal.

Brooklyn hurts bad for a year, but then controls their future after that plus has their cap sheet cleaned up, a great young player in Bane, and an additional 1st.

This honestly may be a bit more than Memphis would be willing to give up simply because it puts more of a constraint on their window of contention, but the value is probably not far off. Memphis gets to roll out a lineup of Ja/Brooks/KD/Clarke/JJJ though their depth will be rough unless those late pick rookies immediately come through or we get some ring chasers with the room exception/min deals. Maybe Anderson returns on the room exception? Either way Memphis contends for at least the next few years barring injury.

Option 2: Honeypotting
Houston could entice Brooklyn with a rebuild by giving them a small bit of immediate pick control prior to then capitalizing on a few years of control while Brooklyn is inevitably still bad. I can't decide if Houston could get by with only giving up one first to convince Brooklyn to rebuild or not so will go with two.

HOU in: Ziaire, Adams, Green, 23 MEM 1st, 24 GSW 1st, 25 MEM 1st
HOU out: 23 BKN swap, 24 BKN 1st, Wall

BKN in: Wall, Bane, 23 BKN 1st, 24 BKN 1st
BKN out: KD

MEM in: KD
MEM out: Bane, Ziaire, Adams, Green, 23 MEM 1st, 24 GSW 1st, 25 MEM 1st

Rockets again save money (extra assets from salary dumps?), get their potential SF of the future, and get three 1sts while the three BKN 1sts they own look extra juicy. Maybe they try to steal the 23 PHI 1st as well just to give Brooklyn one less shot at a quality young player before they take control of the picks again. Brooklyn gets the next two years of their pick back plus Bane. Memphis same as before.

OR

HOU in: Bane, 23 MEM 1st, 24 GSW 1st
HOU out: 23 BKN swap, 24 BKN 1st

BKN in: Ziaire, Adams, Green, 23 BKN 1st, 24 BKN 1st, 25 MEM 1st
BKN out: KD

MEM in: KD
MEM out: Bane, Ziaire, Adams, Green, 23 MEM 1st, 24 GSW 1st, 25 MEM 1st

Houston doesn't save money this time but gets a great young guard and two 1sts in the years they give up. This also doesn't let Bane help Brooklyn during those three years Houston controls their picks. Brooklyn saves money/can take on a salary dump for extra assets while getting Ziaire who could be a long term piece plus two years of pick control back and an extra 1st. Memphis same as before.

[HotelVitale]

Just a note that the Nets only owe two picks to HOU now, year after next and 2026. The other things are all swaps and there’s no sign HOU will be good any time soon. (That swap next year is unlikely to be anything at all). I know this is a hypothetical but that has to be taken into account.

[Celts17Pride]

Houston isn't giving the Nets their picks back for anything short of an arm and a leg.

Exactly! Why would Houston give the Nets their picks back when the situation in Brooklyn is a raging inferno?

[Xman]

I think HOU gives up the picks if they get more of a sure thing. Even if BKN implodes, they probably will still have enough talent to make the playoffs in the East - especially if KD is traded for other talent (like ATL for Collins/Capela). So, unless BKN embraces the rebuild (which they will not do with getting their picks back), I doubt those picks land in the lottery.

I kind of like the Wemby Nuclear Option above.
I think most HOU fans have bought into the current strategy - which seems to be suck one more year and then use cap space to acquire help for Green/Jabari/2023 lotto pick/and six or more other recent firsts.
If HOU did the deal, they would be giving up the possible long term return on BKN picks for helping the rebuild now. I really like the idea of loading up on picks for 2023. Wemby, Lively and Scoot at the top look nice. But, I think the draft will also be deep. I was recently able to see some of the UH team practicing - and they have two guys projected in the first round (Jarace Walker at #18, Sasser at #27) that I would really like to get in addition to one of the top guys.

HOU in: Ziaire, Adams, Green, 23 MEM 1st, 24 GSW 1st, 23 BKN 1st
HOU out: Every BKN swap/pick, Wall

BKN in: Wall, Bane, every pick back except 23, 25 MEM 1st
BKN out: KD, 23 BKN 1st

MEM in: KD
MEM out: Bane, Ziaire, Adams, Green, 23 MEM 1st, 24 GSW 1st, 25 MEM 1st

Possible follow up (probably best to keep veterans as tutors until trade deadline - then deal for value):
HOU out: EGordon, 24 GS 1st, Tate, KMart, Mathews, Nwaba for whatever value.

HOU would have:
SG - Green, Christopher - Set for years. Green is a stud and Christopher might be really good.
PF - Jabari, Garuba - Again, set for years.
C - Sengun, Boban - Sengun should get 30+ minutes a game this year to figure out his value.
SF - Zaire, Eason - The 10th and 17th picks - lots of potential.
PG - Porter, Tyty - Porter has looked great. Tyty might be really good (was he damaged goods the 2nd half?).
Add in a high HOU 2023 (hopefully Wemby) pick along with BKN, MEM and WAS firsts (I could see two of these picks being used in a deal for disgruntled veteran - ie next year's Ayton/Collins/KD/etc. - maybe Zion/Garland/etc.). IF the stars aligned, HOU would add Wemby at C, maybe Walker at SF and Sasser at PG. If they were unlucky, they should still be able to add at least one impact player to fill in wherever needed (maybe Lively at C)

[K_chile22]

I'd be down for the "help them completely tear down in exchange for keeping 23" idea

[Xman]

One more angle: HOU and BKN talk and BKN decides it is better to just eat the loss of the 2023 first (and PHI 2023 first) to gets its picks back and clear the cap going forward. HOU gets multiple picks in next draft - which should be the end of their tank.

Deal 1: BKN sends Harris and S&T Kyrie for Westbrook and picks (2027 LAL 1st, some 2nds, maybe a swap).
Goal/Logic - BKN unloads Harris contract and gets some pick value.

Deal 2:
BKN - sends 2023 BKN 1st and 2023 PHI 1st, KD to a third team (we can do different versions - POR/MIA/MEM/PHX/etc.)
- gets expirings, all picks/swaps back and some talent/expirings.

HOU - sends all BKN picks/swaps, could include (EGordon, Tate, KMart, Nwaba, Boban, etc.)
- gets 2023 BKN 1st and 2023 PHI 1st. Would probably love another 2023 first from team X.

Team X - sends picks/players
- gets KD, maybe ROX veterans (EGordon, Tate, KMart, Nwaba, Boban, etc.)

Team X options are many:
POR - Sharpe and picks
MEM - Zaire, cap space and picks
PHX - Picks, Ayton and maybe Bridges/CJ.
MIA - 2023&2027 1sts, Bam, Herro, Robinson

Other ideas?