How Many Draft Picks Will a Kevin Durant Trade Command?
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Nets superstar Kevin Durant has been the subject of any and all NBA trade talk for the last month.
The two-final Finals MVP has no-so-subtly requested a trade, and subsequently made another ultimatum on top of that. Should Durant not get dealt soon, all signs are pointing towards a holdout from the 33-year-old forward.
While premier players have requested trades before, none have been quite the caliber of Durant, who has an unprecedented four years left on his recently extended deal. We’ve seen three, four and even five first round selections get dealt in this offseason alone begging the question: How many will be included in a potential blockbuster deal for Durant?
Draft picks are the NBA’s currency, and recently, inflation has a hold on the market.
Thunder general manager Sam Presti kickstarted the draft pick craze, dealing star Paul George for five first round picks and two pick swaps. But that was a special case, with Los Angeles more apt to sell out with Kawhi Leonard looming
It was essentially a two-for-one, and still commanded just five picks.
But the league’s most recent blockbuster deal sets a different precedent. Three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert required five first-rounders to pry him away from Utah. There wasn’t a premier player sent back in Gobert deal, but the gap between the traditional-style center and one of the greatest players of his general is wide.
There’s no realistic outcome where Brooklyn leaves with less than four first-round selections, unless a team massively oversells win-now players for Durant’s talents. Depending on the players packaged in, four, five or even an unseen six or more could be included.
There’s also been talk around league circles that the market will see a reset soon, with other GM’s unhappy with how the Gobert-Timberwolves deal went down. That could also lead to a major postponement in the Durant deal, with recipients less inclined to offer the biggest deal in league history.
Regardless, Durant won’t exit Brooklyn without a significant, absurd return.
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