Kevin Durant

Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant reportedly will meet with team governor Joe Tsai this week after requesting a trade that hasn't come to fruition yet this summer.

"What I'm hearing is that KD is going to meet with the owner this week," a league executive told Steve Bulpett of Heavy Sports. "He's going to go directly to the owner, Tsai, sometime this week. We'll see how that works."

NBA reporter Marc Stein reported that the Nets declined to comment when he asked them about that potential meeting.

Whether the potential meeting helps facilitate a Durant trade remains to be seen.

"I have no idea what's going to come of that meeting," the executive added. "There are some things that KD is unhappy about, and I'm not sure any of that gets fixed here. But maybe it does."

Another personnel executive told Bulpett that teams around the league haven't been thrilled that talks with the Nets have leaked to the media.

"I think there's some teams that aren't very happy that when they talk to Brooklyn it gets in the papers," he said. "That doesn't help. I've talked with a couple of teams that are not happy with the rumors that creep out of there through all this. It's not a good way to do business."

That Boston Celtics, for instance, found themselves at the center of rumors after there were reports that the teams had discussed Jaylen Brown as the centerpiece of a potential Durant trade. Bulpett speculated that the Nets may have leaked that information to sour the relationship between Brown and the Celtics.

"That's probably why they won’t get anything done and why they haven't had any conversations for a while,” a source told him. "I don't think they are going to get anything done with Boston."

There is, of course, the possibility that the Nets simply bring back Durant and Kyrie Irving this offseason, even at the risk of losing Irving for nothing next summer when he hits free agency.

That could lead to plenty of tensions in the building this season, though it's also Brooklyn's leverage in any KD trade talks, given that he's still under contract for another four seasons. If teams aren't willing to meet Brooklyn's price, they have the option to simply keep him.

It's a gambit—unhappy superstars don't generally lead to healthy team dynamics—but it's an option for these Nets. And it's the sort of thing one would expect Durant and Tsai to discuss as a possibility in their reported meeting this week.

Phoenix Suns forward Cam Johnson understands the calculus at play when he's included in hypothetical trade packages for Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant.

Johnson told the Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin, "You’ve got to expect a team to do what’s in their best interests and try to win a championship." He added that mindset should be shared by players as well:

"I was in Chapel Hill with Puff. I’m sitting in the locker room and the news breaks. It’s Puff’s teammates, my teammates. I’m like, nah man, don’t put me in this. And next thing you know, whoever it was, Windy (Brian Windhorst) or somebody on the TV was like naming the potential trade targets. Naming DA, me, Mikal. And I was like, come on man, but it’s the business. Like I said, it’s the business. If that’s something that gets done, then that was just part of God’s plan and you’ve got to keep on rolling."

Johnson averaged a career-high 12.5 points and shot 42.5 percent from beyond the arc in 2021-22. He's still on his rookie contract and due to be a restricted free agent in 2023.

For a franchise like the Nets that wants to contend while laying the groundwork for the future, the 26-year-old would be an attractive piece to add as part of any Durant trade. Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz proposed sending Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and a bevy of draft picks and pick swaps to Brooklyn.

If the Suns ultimately do land Durant, then it's tough to envision an outcome in which they can retain Johnson too. Matching Deandre Ayton's four-year, $132.9 million offer sheet meant being unable to trade the young center until Jan. 15 at the earliest.

With Ayton off the table and Devin Booker presumably untouchable, Johnson and Bridges are Phoenix's two best player assets in a deal for Durant or another marquee star this offseason.

This may not be the last time Johnson finds himself in a state of limbo.

The 2019 first-round pick is a valuable member of the Suns' rotation but not irreplaceable. As a result, he figures to be linked to whatever perennial All-Star is on Phoenix's radar in a trade.

It's the same thing that has happened to Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown. Even after making his first All-Star team in 2020-21 and helping the Celtics reach the 2022 NBA Finals, Brown was still offered to Brooklyn in a blockbuster move for Durant, per The Athletic's Shams Charania.

Johnson seems to understand that as much as he's considered to be part of Phoenix's foundation now, the situation could change rather drastically in short order.

The combination of Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart is more valuable than Jayson Tatum, according to one NBA general manager.

The GM spoke to Ric Bucher of Fox Sports and said he would rather trade Tatum than move Brown and Smart in a deal for Kevin Durant:

"KD and Tatum are talented, but I don't know how tough they are. I know he's a lot younger than KD, but if you're just trying to win one title, do you trade Tatum for Durant? I'd do that before I'd give them Jaylen and Smart. Brown is valued a little less than Tatum because he's not the skill darling. He's a high level athlete who has developed into a good player. But I have to think Brooklyn would prefer Tatum and you wouldn't have to give up Smart."

Well, that is certainly one way of looking at things. An opinion very much in the minority of anyone whom you'd ask about the situation but one that represents at least one of the 30 people tasked with running an NBA organization.

The Celtics reportedly engaged the Brooklyn Nets in trade talks for Durant, offering a package that includes Brown, Derrick White and a draft pick, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. Brooklyn countered by asking for Brown, Marcus Smart, future picks and possibly an additional role player, an offer the Celtics declined.

It's far from the first time Brown's name has been mentioned in trade talks—he's been bandied about as potential bait for Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis and now Durant. The Leonard and Davis trade talks ultimately went nowhere, and it's possible the Durant ones do as well. That said, it's clear the constant speculation has been weighing on Brown.

As far as Tatum goes, there's no real need to even address any rumors he might be included in Durant trade talks. He's staying right where he is. Tatum is a 24-year-old who just made first team All-NBA; Durant was on the second team. While Durant is still better than Tatum, he's 33 years old and has played just 90 games over the last three seasons. There's no world in which trading Tatum for Durant makes sense, nor does it have a remote chance of happening.

If the Boston Celtics do trade for Kevin Durant, it's not because they are worried about Jaylen Brown leaving.

Brown has only two years remaining on his current contract compared with four for Durant, making the latter the safer bet to stay with the organization. However, ESPN's Zach Lowe reported he has "not yet gotten the sense the Celtics are operating from some position of fear" when it comes to Brown.

As Lowe noted, Boston can offer the most years and money in a new deal and even a supermax if eligible, and "players rarely turn that down."

This discussion comes amid reports the Celtics offered Brown, Derrick White and draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets in a potential deal for Durant, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Nets are reportedly looking for even more in a deal—potentially including Marcus Smart—but the trade talk alone could damage the relationship with Brown. The wing has certainly noticed the ongoing discussion:

Bleacher Report's A. Sherrod Blakely reported the relationship with the team could be damaged.

"Jaylen won't let this affect his play, but he won't forget this, either," one Eastern Conference scout said.

Brown was an All-Star in 2020-21 and produced similar numbers this past season, finishing 2021-22 with 23.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. He was a major reason the Celtics reached the NBA Finals this past year, averaging 23.1 points per game in the playoffs with 24.1 per game in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat.

Even with this production, Boston could improve on the court with a trade for Durant, who has 12 All-Star selection and four scoring titles. The 33-year-old averaged 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game last season.

While any potential move could ruin the Celtics' chemistry last season, there is little doubt the team would be better on paper with Durant.

It's enough for Boston to remain involved in trade talks, regardless of what it means for Brown's future with the team.

No matter how frustrated Kevin Durant is with the Brooklyn Nets, do not expect him to sit out the 2022-23 season.

ESPN's Zach Lowe spoke to NBA insiders who say "Durant is not wired" to sit out similar to how teammate Ben Simmons opted out of last season amid his falling out with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Simmons requested a trade last offseason and then refused to play for the Sixers after not being granted a deal before the season, citing mental health concerns. He was then traded to Brooklyn in February as part of the James Harden deal but missed the remainder of the season due to a back injury.

It's now been more than a month since Durant informed Nets governor Joe Tsai that he wants a trade despite having four years left on his contract. Brooklyn has slow-played negotiations to this point, setting a massive asking price for the 12-time All-Star and refusing to succumb to pressure to make an immediate move.

Should the Nets not find a trade by the time camp opens, it's almost certain Durant will report and perform his contractually obligated duties. Comparing the situation to the Simmons-Sixers fiasco is a stretch, in large part because that was an unprecedented falling out.

Simmons willingly—at least at the time—lost nearly $20 million simply to never play for the Sixers again. There were also concerns about the player's mental health, which does not appear to be the case in Durant's situation. Durant's is more of a straightforward trade request, which would give the Nets a firm leg up should they want to force him to forfeit his $43 million salary if he sits out.

Expecting Durant to be a happy camper is unlikely, but there's little chance he'd be willing to mar his public reputation with a true holdout.

The NBA trade market has reportedly stalled because asking prices have soared toward "objectively nonsensical" levels since the Minnesota Timberwolves sent a package that included four first-round picks and a pick swap to acquire Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz.

Fred Katz of The Athletic reported Friday the Gobert trade followed by Kevin Durant requesting a move from the Brooklyn Nets created a situation in which front offices are wary of what type of return they'll receive for their own players.

"Teams don't exactly look forward to the public hollering about how a better player landed less in a trade than an inferior one," Katz wrote.

The Nets are in a difficult situation because the Gobert package set the market, but they may not be able to maximize their leverage because of a few different variables.

First, there are a limited number of teams with the combination of assets, financial flexibility and desire to acquire a player of KD's caliber, which is basically an all-in move.

Second, the Nets are trying to "drive the market" toward a quick resolution because they are concerned about a "kerfuffle" if the 12-time All-Star opts to hold out if he's not traded before training camp, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

Finally, as Katz noted, the market is on the verge of collapsing on itself because the asking prices are getting to a point where it doesn't make sense for interested teams.

So Brooklyn may find itself in a situation where it must accept an offer for below the established market value or attempt to enter the 2022-23 campaign with a disgruntled Durant after already enduring a few drama-filled years of a KD and Kyrie Irving core.

The Nets have held firm in their demands to this point, though the time pressure really hasn't ramped up yet with more than two months until the season tips off.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported the Boston Celtics offered Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and a draft pick for Durant. Brooklyn rejected and countered with Brown, Marcus Smart, multiple picks and potentially another rotation player.

Whether it's the Celtics or another team, the risk with making a deal similar to the Nets' offer to Boston is it's a major hit to the team's depth while also limiting the ability to add young players on team-friendly contracts to fill those voids in the draft over the coming years.

Put it all together and the Durant talks have remained sluggish since his trade request, and all the other potential moves are basically in wait-and-see mode until the KD situation is settled.

The end result may be a late flurry of moves during training camp, which could shake up the title picture right back the new season gets underway.

One reason the NBA offseason came to a screeching halt after an initial flurry of activity at the start of free agency is that teams are still waiting for some resolution from Kevin Durant's situation with the Brooklyn Nets.

Per The Athletic's Fred Katz, opposing clubs are "waiting on what could happen" with Durant and they "won’t make a move until they know they can no longer acquire" the 12-time All-Star.

The Nets have a lot of things to figure out with the start of training camp looming in September.

In addition to Durant's situation, Kyrie Irving seems likely to be traded at some point. The Utah Jazz seems inclined to start rebuilding after dealing Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves and could move Donovan Mitchell.

Alex Schiffer of The Athletic reported on Wednesday that the Nets don't want the controversial point guard back "unless significant changes are made."

Since Durant made his trade request to the Nets on June 30, there has been no indication that any team has made an offer that is anywhere close to what it would take Brooklyn to move him.

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat are among the teams on Durant's preferred list of destinations.

The Suns' situation was complicated by re-signing restricted free agent Deandre Ayton, who now can't be traded until Jan. 15.

On an episode of the Please Don't Aggregate This podcast (h/t HoopsHype.com), B/R's Jake Fischer noted the Nets likely wouldn't have interest in any offer from Miami that doesn't include Bam Adebayo.

If the Heat wanted to include Adebayo in a deal for Durant, the Nets would have to find a way to move Ben Simmons because NBA rules prevent teams from having two players on rookie max extensions acquired via trade.

Jared Weiss of The Athletic reported earlier this week that Nets general manager Sean Marks wants to "drive the market and avoid the kerfuffle of Durant no-showing for training camp" if he doesn't get dealt.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Nets and Boston Celtics have had discussions about Durant on a deal centered around Jaylen Brown.

The Celtics offered Brown, Derrick White and a draft pick to Brooklyn. The Nets countered by saying any proposal for Durant would need to include Brown, Marcus Smart, draft picks and potentially one additional role player.

"Currently, the Celtics are less inclined to include Smart along with multiple other player assets or pick assets, but the franchise is mulling over next steps on how to approach discussions," Charania wrote.

Durant's on-court value and being under contract through the 2025-26 season mean he could bring a significant return to the Nets if they can find the right deal.

Even though he will turn 34 on Sept. 29, there's no indication that Durant is slowing down at this stage of his career. The two-time NBA Finals MVP averaged 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game in 55 starts for the Nets last season.

The New Orleans Pelicans have reportedly so far refused to make All-Star forward Brandon Ingram available in trade talks with the Brooklyn Nets for Kevin Durant.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported Wednesday it appears there's little traction in those discussions as well as the KD trade market as a whole, which "has not materialized" like the Nets hoped.

"You wondered if Brandon Ingram of the Pelicans could be a guy that's put on the table? To this point, I've heard he's not been put on the table," Scotto said. "I also didn't see Durant necessarily wanting to go to New Orleans, as well."

Brooklyn is trying to escape from the drama-filled years of a Durant and Kyrie Irving core without being forced down the road of an extended, painful rebuilding process.

In turn, the Nets have targeted instant-impact players such as Ingram and the Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown as potential cornerstones to help facilitate a roster reconstruction rather than a teardown.

The Nets have established a sky-high asking price for Durant since his trade request in late June, however, and so far interested teams have balked at the demands.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported the Celtics offered Brown, Derrick White and a draft pick for KD but were quickly turned away. Brooklyn instead sought Brown, Marcus Smart, multiple draft picks and potentially another rotation player.

It's hard to make an exact replica of that proposal from New Orleans, but it'd probably be something along the lines of Ingram, Herbert Jones, Devonte' Graham and a multitude of picks.

While there's no doubting Durant's talent as a 12-time All-Star and former NBA MVP, the key question for interested teams is whether paying the king's ransom the Nets are seeking would leave enough talent to seriously contend in the short term.

The Pelicans would have a terrific foundation in Durant, Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas, but their depth would take a serious hit and they'd lack draft selections to add role players on team-friendly contracts in the years ahead.

Of course, much of the Pels' outlook is heavily dependent on Williamson's health after he missed the entire 2021-22 campaign with a foot injury. His uncertain status creates some additional risk with shifting toward a fully win-now approach.

It's always possible teams circle back to Brooklyn to see whether the asking price becomes reduced as training camp draws closer. Jared Weiss of The Athletic reported the Nets would like to avoid the "kerfuffle" that would come with a possible KD camp holdout.

That said, for now it appears the Pelicans are prepared to keep Ingram and stay on a more steady growth path with the hope Williamson can eventually return to his game-changing ways.