All indications are that the Nets want teams to mortgage their futures to acquire Durant for a chance to win this season, which is hardly surprising given Durant’s talent and the amount of time on his contract. Defending Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes’ name has come up, but the trade the Timberwolves turned down for Durant is somewhat astounding.
According to reports, the Nets asked for star center Karl-Anthony Towns, potential future face of the NBA Anthony Edwards, and four draft picks. Even if the Timberwolves would have entertained the offer, they just sent Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, and multiple picks to the Jazz for Rudy Gobert.
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2021 stats
With that in mind, a trade could well have been untenable on the Timberwolves’ side, even though it’s clear they want to win as soon as possible.
Durant, who will be 34 next season, averaged a hair under 30 points per game last season and averaged more than six assists a game for the first time in his career. While the Nets’ building blocks ultimately failed, Durant is and will continue to be one of the most difficult to guard players in NBA history.
While it’s hard to project what a trade package for Durant is going to look like, the Timberwolves have clearly taken their big swing this offseason. At this point, it looks like the ball is in the Suns and Raptors’ respective courts.
