Beijing time on July 1st, according to NBA celebrity Wojnarski broke the news, it was confirmed that Durant because Nets management was dissatisfied with Irving 's long-term maximum salary renewal, Durant has officially submitted a request to the Nets. Net management submitted a trade application, and sources told ESPN that Durant's first choice for his next destination is the two championship teams Heat and Suns . Since Durant has a four-year long-term contract and is still one of the top five stars in the league, his trade value will be epic. For other teams competing for the championship, acquiring Durant is tantamount to taking one step closer to competing for the championship.
In follow-up reports by the US media, the trade offers submitted by the Suns and Heat were listed. Among them, the Suns were willing to send Ayton, , Bridges, and Cameron in order to get Durant. Johnson, as well as a 2024 first-round pick and a 2026 first-round pick. In this transaction plan, the Suns provided two elite-level 3D players plus a future top insider, and also gave two first-rounders as compensation. In general, it is basically close to Durant's transaction value. Bridges has the ability to create shots and is extremely good defensively. He was a secondary candidate for the best defense last season. Cam Johnson is a high-quality wing who can switch to multiple positions. Last season, his 3-point shooting percentage was as high as 42.5%. However, it is reported that the Nets management wants Booker more!
For the Suns, it is obviously unacceptable to send Booker away. After all, the Big Three lineup composed of Durant, Paul, , and Booker can only be called the top presence in the Western Conference in terms of offense. The Suns can also This is the core lineup. We will continue to recruit veterans to make up for the loss of immediate combat effectiveness caused by the departure of the three players and achieve the goal of competing for the championship.
In order to get Durant, the Heat sent a trade offer of Adebayor , Tyler Herro , Duncan Robinson, Strus, and a 2023 first-round pick and a 2028 first-round pick. For the Heat, the chips they provide are also very tempting, but Riley will still agree to do so. Durant's joining will definitely upgrade the Heat's strength. Butler is a top two-way player. , after playing at a super level in the playoffs last season, Durant will become the most powerful scorer next to Butler.
For the Nets, Adebayor and Hiero will become cornerstone players in the future. Hiero was the best sixth man in the regular season last season. Although he was criticized defensively, his strong offensive talent is still It is worth betting on the Nets, and Dunro and Strus are both outside shooters and can bring a sense of space to the team's offense. The 2028 first-round pick is undoubtedly very valuable. However, the Nets also have a second option. If they plan to keep Simmons, they may trade Adebayor to a third-party team to seek more first-round compensation.
For the Nets at this stage, they need to clearly understand their future goals, whether to completely tear down and rebuild, ask for as many first-round picks as possible, or exchange for immediate combat power and continue to hit the playoffs. Regardless of what happens next, the Houston Rockets have undoubtedly become the biggest winners. They hold the Nets' 2023 first-round swap rights, 2024 first-round pick, 2025 first-round swap rights, 2026 first-round pick, and 2027 first-round pick. First-round swap rights, and these first-round picks have no protection. If the Nets rebuild, these first-round picks will undoubtedly become lottery picks.
The reason why the Nets are in such a mess today is not caused by Irving or Durant. It is because the league has given the superstars so much power that they can stop playing if they are not happy. Submitting a trade application is undoubtedly a fatal blow to the team. I believe that the league will inevitably introduce relevant systems to protect the rights and interests of the team as much as possible.
