Now that Kyrie Irving has been dealt, there’s speculation that Kevin Durant could be the next superstar traded from the Brooklyn Nets. The Phoenix Suns are said to be keeping a close eye on Durant’s situation, and chances are several others are too.
With the NBA’s Feb. 9 trade deadline fast approaching, the Boston Celtics are reportedly “making some calls” as well, according to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.
As mentioned, the Celtics likely aren’t the only team fascinated by the idea of adding the former NBA MVP to their roster. But, being that it is the Celtics, we can’t help but be curious about how a potential Durant trade to Boston could work.
Related: 7 ideal Kevin Durant trade scenarios ahead of NBA’s Feb. 9 deadline
What a Kevin Durant trade to Boston Celtics could look like
- Boston Celtics get: Kevin Durant
- Brooklyn Nets get: Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, 2026 first-round pick
Jayson Tatum is obviously off-limits in any and all trade discussions. The Celtics won’t be trading their young MVP candidate for an older one. Yet, the Celtics’ other All-Star, Jaylen Brown, could be in play. He may be the best player the Nets could reasonably get back for Durant, at least right now.
The only question is whether the Celtics are ready to trade a 26-year-old player who’s currently averaging a career-high 27 points per game for a 34-year-old averaging just under 30 points per contest. It would certainly be a win-now move, but what about Boston’s future?
- Kevin Durant stats: 29.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.5 BPG, 55% FG, 37% 3PT
Yet, the Celtics have seen the Tatum-Brown combo for six seasons now, and while they reached the NBA Finals a season ago, it’s possible they view Durant as the final piece of the puzzle that can finally put them over the top.
Suddenly the Celtics would have two of the NBA’s best 25 players and would be viewed not only as title contenders this season but also for the next few years, as Durant is under contract through 2026. Tatum is locked in through the 2024-25 season.
As reluctant as the Nets are to trade their franchise player, the opportunity to land a proven talent like Brown may be too good to pass up, especially if they can see the writing on the wall, with Durant possibly demanding a ticket out of town, either now, or in the offseason.
Should the Nets and Celtics execute a deal, swapping Durant for Brown, it would have massive playoff implications for both of the contending Eastern Conference teams, and the Celtics would quickly become overwhelming favorites to win the NBA Finals for the 18th time in franchise history.
But first things first, an agreement will have to be reached between the two teams, which, as we’ve seen plenty of times in the past, is no sure thing. Plenty of NBA rumors get talked about, but executing a deal is a much different story.
With the Celtics still leading the Eastern Conference, it’s hard to imagine the team making such wholesale changes to their roster on the fly. Then again, the chance to add a player like Durant doesn’t come around often.