Kevin Durant trade talks have stalled out. The most common reason given for the slow pace is teams that have seriously engaged with the Nets — Miami, Boston, Phoenix (though less with the Suns after they matched the Deandre Ayton offer) — have not been willing to meet Brooklyn’s high asking price for the former MVP. Those teams want to trade for Durant to contend, but the Nets asking price would strip the rosters too far down.
Why not bring in a third or maybe fourth team to help facilitate a trade? Because teams don’t want to help out, reports Ian Begley of SNY.TV.
Part of the pessimism stemmed from the idea that, as of last month, there was little appetite in the market for teams to serve as a third or fourth team to facilitate a Durant trade.
“No one wants to help (Brooklyn get a deal done),” one team remarked.
I’m skeptical of this — teams may not want to help, but they will once the price is right for them.
Maybe that means two first-round picks to a team with cap space — the Spurs or Pacers, Utah could join them after veterans are traded — to jump in and take on a contract, but those teams aren’t holding out just because they don’t want the Nets or some other team to succeed. This isn’t personal, it’s business. Make it well worth their while and they will help, but they will not do Durant and other teams a favor.
All has been quiet on the Durant front for weeks now. Maybe that will change as we get to the start of training camp — will Durant show up for the Nets camp? What about Kyrie Irving? — but right now there is no pressure and little motivation for teams to improve their offers and re-engage with Brooklyn.
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Report: Other teams not willing to facilitate Kevin Durant trade originally appeared on NBCSports.com
