NBA Trade Rumors: According to a recent report, the New Orleans Pelicans are a team that remains interested in a deal for Kevin Durant.
Kevin Durant has decided to make his trade request even messier. In a meeting with Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai, Durant made it clear that he didn’t want to be a member of the Nets and that he simply doesn’t believe in the direction of the franchise.
It’s clear that a Durant trade is now more likely than ever and that it would be wise for Brooklyn to try and find the right deal sooner rather than later. Certainly before the start of training camp, which is currently roughly a month and a half away.
And while there isn’t a strong market for him, there is a list of “favorites.” Essentially, they’re the teams that have been interested from the beginning. The Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors. But both of those teams aren’t willing to put their best assets on the table for KD.
The other “favorite” is the Boston Celtics, but it’s not clear if they’re willing to put Jaylen Brown in an offer or not. I have my suspicions that they could be just included as a bargaining tactic from the Nets.
Either way, there is reportedly one other team that is still interested in acquiring Durant that could make a ton of sense as well. The New Orleans Pelicans. New Orleans is an interesting potential landing spot considering they have the top-tier assets that the Nets could be looking for and would still have some intriguing talent left on the roster for Durant to play with.
For example, the Pelicans could offer a package centered around Brandon Ingram and picks and could still keep Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum on the roster as a supporting cast around Durant.
It could truly come down to whether Durant would want to play in New Orleans. And while there’s no predicting the answer to that question, I also don’t think the Pelicans should be dismissed as a potential landing spot just yet.
If nothing else, it’s something to keep an eye on.