Skip Bayless Goes Overboard With Stance On Kevin Durant-Celtics Trade Talks

Skip Bayless not only agrees with the Celtics’ decision to reportedly include Jaylen Brown in trade talks for Kevin Durant. He also believes Boston should be willing to deal Jayson Tatum if necessary.

The Nets probably shouldn’t hold their breath, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski wrote Monday the Celtics consider Tatum “off limits” in any trade talks. But Bayless went overboard in his assessment of the KD sweepstakes, suggesting Boston should do whatever it takes — outside of offering both Tatum and Brown — to meet Brooklyn’s demands.

“If I’m Brooklyn, I don’t do this deal. But of the deals I know of, it’s easily the best deal on the table,” Bayless said Monday on FS1’s “Undisputed.” “And if I’m Boston, I would do whatever they ask. Ask me anything, I’ll throw it in. I don’t care. I’m not going to give you both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but I will give you one or the other — whoever you want, I would give him. If you want Jayson Tatum to finish this off, you can have him. Because if you give me Jaylen Brown with Kevin Durant, I’m good.”

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Shannon Sharped pushed back on the idea — although he wouldn’t hesitate to include Marcus Smart in a trade for Durant — by pointing out Brown isn’t considered a “superstar” like Tatum. And Bayless only took his argument a step further.

“No, he’s not,” Bayless said. “And (Tatum) is not the explosive athlete that Jaylen Brown is. He’s just a little stiff and robotic for my taste.”

Seems a little excessive, no?

There are plenty of Celtics fans who under no circumstances would trade Brown for Durant, as the former turns 26 in October whereas the latter turns 34 in September. And there are even more Great Teamers who think you’d be absolutely nuts to swap Tatum, 24, for Durant.

Yet Bayless is steadfast in his belief that Durant is the best player on the planet and that KD instantly would make the Celtics championship favorites for the 2022-23 NBA season, if they’re not already.