Last offseason, Kevin Durant planned to stay with the Brooklyn Nets long-term. As his initial contract with the team was soon to be approaching its end, Durant signed a long-term extension, which would keep him on Brooklyn’s books until 2026.
That is unless he’s traded before the contract expires. Durant seems to wish that’s the case. Weeks ago, the Nets superstar reportedly requested a trade. At the time, more than half the league was intrigued as Durant became the most prominent star to hit the trade block.
The Phoenix Suns were the first team linked to Durant. For quite some time, the Suns were favored to snag the former MVP. But at this point, that’s no longer the case.
Recently, the Boston Celtics popped up as a serious contender to trade for Durant. As Boston has a young star they are willing to move in Jaylen Brown, the Celtics were willing to discuss a trade package with Brooklyn that included Brown, Derrick White, and a draft pick.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Brooklyn rejected the offer. Just because Boston was told no doesn’t mean they won’t re-enter negotiations. And because of that, the Celtics have emerged as betting favorites to snag Durant, according to BetOnline.
The Latest Odds
Right now, the Celtics are a -200 favorite to trade for Durant. The Golden State Warriors are behind them at +350, with the previous favorite, the Suns, sitting at +600.
As for the Philadelphia 76ers, they aren’t in the picture. Despite the early rumors that Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey would be star hunting this offseason, the 76ers focused on adding complementary pieces to surround the team’s core players, such as Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and the re-signed James Harden.
If Durant’s value diminishes over time, the Sixers could get intrigued and enter the sweepstakes in hopes of getting him for cheaper than the set price, but consider that a long shot to happen. Brooklyn will more than likely stand firm on its price to move Durant, and the Sixers are far from desperate to land another star.
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