Not only are the Celtics a possible trade partner for the Nets in wake of Kevin Durant’s reported ultimatum to Brooklyn owner Joe Tsai. Boston also might be the frontrunner for a deal.
ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst explained Tuesday why Boston is perhaps the most realistic destination for Durant, who reportedly over the weekend told Tsai he needed to choose between him and Brooklyn’s pairing of head coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks.
“There’s two things about this trade that we have to remember that are easy to forget because it’s just been on the table for so long,” Windhorst said on “NBA Today.” “Number one, the Nets cannot rebuild. They don’t own their picks going forward, so they can’t do a teardown trade. So, trades that are based solely on draft picks just doesn’t work for them.
“The second thing is they can’t trade for another player who is on a designated rookie extension. That limits the number of star players that they can trade for, because they’ve got Ben Simmons already on the roster. And that narrows the field of the trades right down, and that’s why the Celtics are being discussed here. Because Jaylen Brown fits in that narrow, little window, and he has actually been offered. It’s not a pie-in-the-sky situation. It’s not a demand that is getting ignored. That is a demand that’s actually been met — Jaylen Brown — so that is why that is at the forefront of everybody.”
Of course, one could argue the Celtics are better off keeping Brown, who’s entering his age-26 season, rather than targeting Durant, who turns 34 in September. Durant has dealt with injuries in recent years and obviously comes with plenty of off-court baggage given how everything’s played out with the Nets, the Golden State Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder in his NBA career. Plus, Boston just came within two wins of an NBA title — with Brown — and already bolstered its roster this offseason.
But others might argue Durant is a generational talent and still one of the best players on the planet, and that as such, it’s worth pursuing a trade. After all, there’s no guarantee Brown sticks around with the Celtics beyond the summer of 2024, when he can become an unrestricted free agent.
Regardless of where you stand, it’s easy to see why the Celtics have been kicked around in speculation. Brooklyn simply might not have many options, and Boston has the assets — most notably Brown — to piece together an enticing package.
