Kevin Durant just completely flipped the NBA offseason on its head.
The Brooklyn Nets superstar has requested a trade, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Thursday afternoon, citing sources.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Nets general manager Sean Marks already is working with Durant’s representation to find a deal for the former MVP. Wojnarowski noted teams have already called about Durant, though it will take, in Wojnarowski’s words, “a historic return on players and draft picks.”
The news is stunning, but it’s not entirely surprising. According to one report, Durant had grown frustrated with the Brooklyn front office and hadn’t spoken with them in weeks.
This also comes on the heels of the Kyrie Irving drama from earlier this week. The Nets star reportedly was given permission to seek sign-and-trade opportunities. When nothing materialized, he opted in to his contract for 2022-23 and committed to Brooklyn.
However, that doesn’t mean Irving will stay in New York, and he could be headed to Los Angeles for a reunion with LeBron James, as the Lakers reportedly are interested. Irving and Durant are close, and the former reportedly was trying to leverage that bond to get himself out of Brooklyn.
The end game, it appears, is a very, very busy offseason for a suddenly rebuilding Nets team. The Nets are currently 16-1 at FanDuel Sportsbook to win the NBA title next season. The Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat, two teams Durant reportedly is open to joining, are +650 and +1400, respectively.
NBA free agency begins Thursday night at 6 p.m. ET.
