NBA Trades: There are a few stars that teams should 100 percent steer clear of this offseason.
All 30 franchises in the NBA have the same goal, and that's winning the NBA Championship. Every aspect of a team is supposed to be geared towards that outcome. Any part of that machine that isn't contributing should be examined under a microscope. With the offseason only one NBA Finals series away, coaches and general managers will start looking for new pieces to that puzzle. That means big trades are coming, especially if the recent rumors are any indication.
There are a lot of tempting prospects out there right now, and some of them have the potential to turn a franchise around. Others will bleed money while adding nothing to the franchise. As such, there are a few players out there this offseason that teams should steer clear of. These guys are like sirens calling franchises to their demise on the nearby rocks.
Kevin Durant
Without question, the Slim Reaper is one of the greatest of all time. He's a two-time NBA Champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP, the 2014 NBA MVP, the 2008 NBA Rookie of the Year, and a 15-time All-Star. His list of accolades is much longer than that, and he's absolutely earned every last one. Kevin Durant is a verifiable, certifiable legend who will, without question, be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Reportedly, the Phoenix Suns are aggressively trying to trade Durant before the NBA Draft and have lowered their asking price. The problem is that Durant's tenures on supposed recent "super teams" in Brooklyn and Phoenix have gone terribly. On top of that, KD has been in the league since 2007 and is closing in on his 20th season. It's only a matter of time before injuries really start stacking up.
Having that kind of legend on your team is tempting, but there is no guarantee of a return on investment to make it worth trading young talent and draft picks, as well as taking on a big money contract. That kind of thinking is how Phoenix ended up in its current position. The man has some tread on the proverbial tires, but this still isn't prime Kevin Durant. Franchises should be careful here.