Kevin Durant Trade Rumors: 'More Than Half the League' Has Called Nets About Star

Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IIJune 30, 2022

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 25: Kevin Durant of Brooklyn Nets warms up before NBA playoffs between Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn of New York City, United States on April 25, 2022. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

"More than half" of NBA teams have reportedly called the Brooklyn Nets about acquiring Kevin Durant, who has requested a trade.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said Thursday on NBA Today: "Since the reporting here in the last hour, I'm told that more than half the league has already called Brooklyn about the possibility of acquiring Kevin Durant."

Malika Andrews @malika_andrews
The latest on Kevin Durant requesting a trade from the Nets from <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wojespn</a>.<br><br>Join us now on ESPN2 for our NBA Today Free Agency special as we break it all down. <a href="https://t.co/dsRBjecW8S">pic.twitter.com/dsRBjecW8S</a>

Durant, a 12-time All-Star and four-time scoring champion, averaged 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists for the Nets last season.

The 15-year NBA veteran is also a two-time NBA champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP and three-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA.

It's no surprise the Nets are receiving plenty of calls about one of the game's superstars.

Durant considers the Phoenix Suns, who sported the league's best record last season, a "preferred trade destination," per Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported the Miami Heat are on Durant's list as well.

However, the Nets will look to make the best deal for the franchise, per Wojnarowski:

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Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
Phoenix and Miami are among two of the teams that Kevin Durant has on his wish list, sources tell ESPN, but the Nets plan to move Durant where they can get the best possible deal. With four years on his contract, there's no shortage of teams willing to unload assets for Durant.

The Durant news dropped three days after teammate Kyrie Irving told Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium that he would opt into his 2022-23 player option with the Nets.

It appears those two, who joined the Nets together in free agency during the summer of 2019, will go their separate ways.

The KD news broke a few hours before the start of the free-agency negotiating period, which could have an effect on leaguewide proceedings, per Keith Smith of Spotrac and Celtics Blog.

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Talking to folks around the NBA the belief is that everything is going to pause with the opening of free agency until Kevin Durant's next home is decided. Every team and player will sit mostly still until Durant is traded. Then the flood will happen.

Another explosive NBA offseason appears imminent as one of the game's all-time greats looks to move on.