Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but the Celtics apparently are kicking the tires on Kevin Durant.
Durant chatter had been at a minimum ever since the superstar forward rescinded his Nets trade request before the start of the 2022-23 NBA season. But Brooklyn’s latest transaction reignited the conversation, as Kyrie Irving’s move to Dallas had many wondering if Durant now will look to leave the Nets, too.
The panel on Monday’s episode of ESPN’s “First Take” speculated Durant’s future, and at the very end of the segment, Stephen A. Smith tucked in a nugget that figures to leave the basketball world buzzing.
“By the way, I’m hearing he’s on the verge of potentially being moved,” Smith said. “Obviously, we’ve all been speculating about that — that he would be maybe moved. I’m on the phone, I’m hearing Boston is making some calls. Keep an eye on that — Jaylen Brown. Keep your eye on that.”
Durant seemingly has been on the Celtics’ radar for years, dating all the way back to the summer of 2016 when Boston recruited the future Hall of Famer before he ultimately signed with the Golden State Warriors in free agency. From there, the C’s routinely were mentioned as a potential landing spot for KD any time his future with a certain team was called into question.
The 13-time All-Star has appealing term on his deal — he’s under contract through the 2025-26 season — so Brown probably would have to be the centerpiece of any blockbuster between the Nets and Celtics. But Durant is owed nearly $150 million in guaranteed money the next three seasons, so Brad Stevens and company will need to decide if that price tag and the loss of a budding superstar are worth acquiring an oft-injured elite talent who turned 34 in late September.
If Boston wants to have Durant on its roster this season, it will need to trade for him by 3 p.m. ET on Thursday.
