After going to bed/waking up to an Adrian Wojnarowski report that the Celtics have engaged the Nets in a deal for Kevin Durant, The Athletic’s Shams Charania has more details on potential trade packages:
The Celtics offered Brown, guard Derrick White and a draft pick to the Nets for Durant, sources said. The proposal was rejected, and Brooklyn has asked Boston — in any proposal — to include Brown, Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, draft picks and potentially one more rotation player, those sources added. Currently, the Celtics are less inclined to include Smart along with multiple other player assets or pick assets, but the franchise is mulling over next steps on how to approach discussions.
Hours before, ESPN’s Wojnarowski hinted that the Celtics could trump most offers by including Brown, but this is the first time that it’s actually been reported that President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens has floated his name as a potential trade piece to acquire KD. Charania notes that Durant-to-Boston is a “serious possibility” with previous suitors — the Suns, Heat, and Raptors — not having the talent base to match Brooklyn’s steep price.
The 25-year-old Brown has two years remaining at nearly $30 million a season remaining on his contract. Durant enters the first year of a four-year, $194 million max extension next season. There have been rumors that Brown would like to test free agency in 2024 as he enters the prime of his career. While locking up one of the greatest players of this generation to pair with Jayson Tatum seems like a no-brainer to some, KD will be 34 at the start of the 2022-2023 season. With his history of serious injury, the contention window might be more open in the short run, but long term, the Celtics front office must consider the long term ramifications on taking such a gamble.
