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This is a whirlwind journey for a Nets team that was considered championship favorites heading into last season. But a trade request from James Harden – which landed the Nets Ben Simmons from the 76ers – an MCL injury to Durant and Irving being unable to play in majority of the season due to his unvaccinated status completely shattered those aspirations. As a result, the Nets were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics with a fully healthy Durant and Irving. Durant’s desire to request a trade hints that he may be done with the tumultuous nature of the Nets franchise since he joined the team in 2019. <\/p>\n
Durant’s four-year, $198 million contract extension that he signed last summer doesn’t kick in until the 2022-23 season, so it’s going to take a massive offer from opposing teams to bring him in. But with free agency starting, every team will be calling the Nets to try and put together a package worth Durant’s talents. <\/p>\n
As for the Nets, this is a rough situation to be in for a team that at one point had all three of Durant, Irving and Harden and were the most stacked team in the league on paper. That wealth of talent never lived up to its potential, though, with injuries and vaccination statuses plaguing their championship journey.<\/p>\n
The return for Durant could set the Nets up nicely for the future with the potential to land several first-round picks and perhaps a young, cornerstone player to build around. They could also trade away Irving now that he’s opted into his player option, giving them more assets to work with. <\/p>\n
The Durant development just made everything far more intriguing as surely every team in the league will now try to pivot and make a deal for one of the league’s best players. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n