Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Current Odds for What Team Kevin Durant is on Next Season
While discussions between the Celtics and Nets revolving around Kevin Durant and Jaylen Brown are weeks old, with that information now reaching the public, the odds of what team the two of them will suit up for next season have received an update.
According to Bookies.com, Durant is most likely to stay in Brooklyn. That speaks to the current nature of the situation where no potential suitor, including Boston, has separated itself from the team's that have expressed any level of interest in acquiring the former league MVP and ten-time All-NBA member.
Even with the possibility Durant holds out from training camp, there's no deadline to get a deal done. As a result, the process is playing out slowly as the Nets wait for teams to meet their lofty demands, and they intend to find out if Brooklyn will eventually lower its asking price.
While Durant's one of the best players in the NBA, capable of rising to the top of that list, as subjective as it may be, he turns 34 in September, he's listed at six-foot-ten and might be taller, and he has a history of foot injuries. He's also three years removed from tearing his Achilles.
The four-time scoring champion is also a flight risk, exemplified by him asking out of a situation where he chose his destination and who he went there with, as his four-year extension takes effect. Even in a league where it's incredibly challenging to keep the core of a roster together, all of these concerns make potential suitors skeptical about parting with burgeoning talents, like Scottie Barnes, or franchise cornerstones, like Brown, along with what else it would take to acquire Durant.
Depending on the return, one could also make a strong case the best way for the Nets to move forward is with Durant. Doing so while fighting their urge to trade Kyrie Irving would keep them in championship contention. Perhaps, at least, the desire to not see Durant in a different uniform is relevant to why they, for instance, asked the Celtics for Brown, reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Smart, potentially one more rotation player, and multiple draft picks.
Granted, this is a chance for a team to add an all-time great who produced nearly 30 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game last season and boost its chance to win a championship in the short term. Furthermore, to acquire Rudy Gobert, the Timberwolves sent the Jazz a package that included their 2022 first-round pick, Walker Kessler, four future first-round selections, and a pick swap.
But for now, the Nets serve as a placeholder for what team Durant will most likely play for next season with +275 odds. After that, it's not Boston but the Heat who sit in second at +325. Then, come the Celtics at +375. The fourth best odds belong to the Raptors at +400.
As for Brown, Bookies.com still expects him to call Boston home next season, placing -175 odds on him remaining with the Celtics. Of course, the Nets have the second-best odds, but they're at +450. His hometown Hawks are fifth at +1200. The Heat are fourth at +800, and the Wizards are third at +750.
Further Reading
Hornets Considering Signing Ex-Celtics Star
Jaylen Brown 'loves it in Boston,' Comfortable with Being in the Rumor Mill
The Latest Intel Regarding Celtics' Pursuit of Kevin Durant
Celtics Address Multiple Needs with Malcolm Brogdon Trade
Brad Stevens Says He Has 'Green Light' from Ownership to Spend What It Takes to Win
Malcolm Brogdon Discusses Dynamic Between He and Marcus Smart as Former Embraces Sixth-Man Role
[Film Room] JD Davison's Mostly Positive Summer League Debut
