Here we go again. Thanks to Kyrie Irving forcing his way out of Brooklyn, Kevin Durant trade rumors have returned.
Durant requested a trade over the summer, but the Nets never found a deal that worked and he remained in Brooklyn, where he's put up big numbers (29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game) in 39 games this season.
But with Irving now gone after this weekend's trade to Dallas, Durant is left without a co-star and his future in Brooklyn is once again murky, with multiple teams reportedly already checking in on his availability.
The Celtics reportedly talked to the Nets about Durant during the offseason, and if you believe Stephen A. Smith, they could be doing so again now.
"By the way, I'm hearing he's on the verge of potentially being moved," Smith said of Durant on ESPN's "First Take" Monday. "Obviously, we've all been speculating about that, that he may be moved. I'm on the phone. I'm hearing Boston is making some calls. Keep an eye on that — Jaylen Brown. Keep your eye on that."
Obviously, anything Stephen A. says should be taken with a grain of salt. He long ago shifted from real reporting to rumor-mongering for ratings. Nonetheless, he is tied in to NBA circles, and the Celtics' offseason interest at least seemed to be pretty legitimate.
Trading Brown for Durant now, though, when the Celtics have the best record in the NBA, would be extremely bold. There is certainly an argument that Durant is still a better player than Brown and could bring the C's even closer to a championship. There is also an argument that they have a very good thing going already and shouldn't disrupt that, not to mention that Durant is eight years older than Brown. Durant doesn't guarantee a title, and there's always the possibility that he wouldn't be a fit here.
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m., so if anything is going to happen with Durant -- with the Celtics or any other team -- it's going to have to happen fast, like the Irving trade did.
Wiggy wants the Celtics to get Durant
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