NBA Rumors: Execs Wonder If Kevin Durant Holds out of Nets Camp If Not Traded
July 25, 2022
Nearly a month after requesting a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Durant reportedly "has shown no change in his stance," according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Executives across the league reportedly are wondering whether Durant will hold out of training camp if no trade comes, per Charania.
The Boston Celtics have reportedly joined the sweepstakes for the 12-time All-Star, with the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors among the other top teams involved in trade talks.
A trade could still be far off, with ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reporting "there are no deals believed to have traction for Durant."
Brooklyn has maintained a lofty asking price for the superstar with four years remaining on his contract, and no other teams have been able to match it to this point.
The question is how much will Durant hold his position if a deal doesn't materialize.
A holdout once training camp starts in September could significantly reduce the Nets' leverage, forcing the team to make a deal to get some return for the former MVP. Rival organizations would know that every missed game reduces his value, similar to what we saw from Ben Simmons.
Conversely, the 33-year-old could start the season with the Nets despite the trade request and wait for a fair deal to form. James Harden would be a fair example in 2020-21 with the Houston Rockets, playing eight games with the team before finally being moved to Brooklyn.
Whoever gets Durant would clearly be expecting to contend for a title and won't want to waste games, but it's clear a trade won't come easy.