Kevin Durant, the standout guard for the Brooklyn Nets, sought a trade late last month, shortly before the opening of free agency. More than a week after the deadline, there has been no movement toward a deal and the Nets’ search for a deal they like seems to be going on indefinitely.
Many variables are at play, but Ben Simmons‘ contract predicament stands out. He signed a new five-year, $177 million contract with the team in 2019 despite not playing in the 2022 season.
Teams are prohibited by league regulations from trading for more than one player under such a deal. As long as Simmons remains on the team, the Nets will be unable to acquire other young players like Devin Booker, Bam Adebayo, and Andrew Wiggins.
Ben Simmons expected to stay in Brooklyn
Any deal for Kevin Durant that involves All-Star level players and draft selections is understandable from the standpoint of the New York Knicks. To put it another way, only a few clubs are in the position to make an offer that would tempt Durant while still keeping the team competitive.
More than a dozen of the league’s greatest young players are ineligible to be dealt to Brooklyn, making the situation even more difficult. As a result, the next natural issue is whether the Brooklyn side will move the 25-year-old, either as part of a Durant deal or in a separate transaction. According to the New York Post, the answer looks to be no for the time being, at least for now.