Amina Smith and Tom Giles joined Trenni Kusnierek to discuss the Celtics acquiring Kevin Durant. They break down why the Celtics may have lost interest in a trade with the Nets.
The Boston Celtics begin their regular season two months from now on Oct. 18. Will Kevin Durant be on their roster?
We've heard consistent chatter about the possibility of Durant coming to Boston since a late-July report that the Celtics offered Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and a draft pick to the Brooklyn Nets in return for KD. The Nets reportedly rejected that offer, seeking Brown and Marcus Smart in any deal for their superstar forward.
What progress has been made since those discussions? Not much, according to The Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach.
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Nets' reported opening offer to Celtics for Durant was comical
"League sources continue to insist that the Celtics are not close to a deal that would bring Kevin Durant to Boston, and that there have not even been any real discussions of substance," Himmelsbach wrote Tuesday.
Durant reportedly has tried to force Brooklyn's hand by demanding that team owner Joe Tsai either trade him or fire general manager Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash. The Nets don't appear to be budging, however, showing no urgency to find a trade for a player who has four years remaining on his contract with no opt-outs.
The Celtics also don't have a pressing need to trade for Durant; they're the current betting favorite to win the 2023 NBA title after adding Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari to a core that reached Game 6 of the NBA Finals last season.
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A Durant-to-Boston trade shouldn't be totally dismissed. The Celtics can put together the strongest trade package for the 12-time All-Star, and The Athletic's Sam Amick reported Tuesday that a Brown-centered deal for KD is considered the "unofficial front-runner" among NBA executives. If Brooklyn feels it must trade Durant, then Boston would be its most appealing trade partner.
The Celtics and Nets could decide to chat again between now and the start of training camp in late September. But as things stand now, both teams don't seem to feel much pressure to change their current situations.