Kevin Durant trade rumours: Will Raptors deal Scottie Barnes?

Six years ago today, Kevin Durant shocked the basketball world when he decided to sign with the Golden State Warriors and join Steph Curry and Klay Thompson in creating a super team that went to the next three NBA Finals, winning two of them.

Durant rocked the NBA for a second time last week, asking for a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. Will we know again where his new home will be on Independence Day?

Durant, 33, reportedly listed Phoenix and Miami as his favorite trade destinations, but half of the NBA is expected to throw the tires in a deal for one of the league’s current top five players who was recently voted one of the 75 best to ever play. the NBA.

One of those teams, of course, would be the Raptors, and fans here debated all weekend about who they would include in a potential trade for the 12-time star player who ruptured his Achilles in the Finals. of the 2019 NBA in Toronto. After missing the entire 2019-20 season, he has only played 90 games over the past two regular seasons.

Here’s a sample of what was said among some of the top NBA insiders in the United States, and speculation on what a potential deal might look like (with link to full story):

Athleticism

Of all the non-Phoenix destinations, however, the one that seems the most realistic is Toronto. The Raptors have plenty of great plays, plenty of salary-matching options, own all of their future picks, and aren’t afraid to spend in taxes for a winner. The question: Where is the line for the Raptors? Is it worth giving up Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes? I’ll go with « hell no » on that one, actually, because the Raptors would trade a decade-plus window with Barnes for a short-term supernova with Durant. Keeping Barnes, on the other hand, is what would make handing over a ton of future equity drafts acceptable for Durant.

—

CBS Sports

Toronto loves nothing more than long, lanky fenders. Durant is the best of them all. The Raptors already have one of the biggest defenses in the NBA. Durant could solve his offensive problems on the half court in the blink of an eye. The questions here are the same as for Cleveland. Durant wants to go north of the border? And are the Raptors willing to sacrifice Scottie Barnes’ entire career for a brief title window? Again, I think the answer is no.

—

The ring

Durant for Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr.

WHERE

Pascal Siakam and Anunoby, as well as several first-round picks and several trades.

It probably comes down to the value Marks (Brooklyn GM Sean) places on Barnes. If he sees the reigning Rookie of the Year as a potential franchise cornerstone who can lead Brooklyn for years to come, then maybe he’s ready to take a slightly lower « win-now » package. in favor of locking in this long-term benefit. Otherwise, well, Masai Ujiri can instead structure the offer around a 28-year-old NBA winger twice playing the best ball of his career, plus Anunoby, a defensive-caliber swingman with 20-point potential. -score upside down. On the one hand, that’s a lot to give up for a player who wouldn’t necessarily want to be there (though KD did want to be a Raptor once upon a time). On the other hand, Ujiri is quite famous for not being rattled when it comes to betting on himself and Toronto, and it’s gone pretty well for him before.

—

Sports Illustrated

Durant for Barnes, OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr., 2027 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick trade, 2029 first-round pick.

This one would be the continuation of Kawhi Leonard’s trade, but also illustrates how difficult it is to assess the value of Durant. Would the Nets claim Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes? This conversation boils down to how Brooklyn sees Barnes’ potential. It’s possible he’s set to be the leader of a big team, which would give the Nets a budding star to build on, a few rotational pieces that fit in well with the current roster, and a capital project. which would come after Durant’s contract expired. .

—

USA today

Toronto is an intriguing potential destination as the Raptors could put together an attractive trade package that would allow them to retain most of their best players. With Durant, the Raptors would be a formidable competitor in the East. A big question would be whether the Raptors are ready to part ways with reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes. Toronto would go out of their way to keep Barnes, but Brooklyn would likely covet him as the centerpiece of any comeback for Durant.

TO SHARE: