Odds on Kevin Durant’s next NBA team after request to leave Nets

One of basketball’s greatest players has finally reached his breaking point. Kevin Durant, currently of the Brooklyn Nets, has requested a trade and now, just about every team is lining up a trade package to acquire his services. Any team that gets Durant will immediately become a title threat and although it didn’t work out between Durant and the Nets, he is still a revered player.

Although his three years with the Nets didn’t result in a lot of playoff success, Durant was still an elite player. Last year, he averaged 29.9 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game and 6.4 assists per game. He also has the ability to play at a high level on defense and although he is 33 years old, Durant still has a good five years left of elite NBA.

The issue is, however, there are not a lot of teams Durant wants to go to. Even though he is under contract for the next four years, Durant still holds a lot of power in negotiation with the Nets’ brass and he will be able to pick the teams he is willing to be traded to. It is rumored Durant wants to go to a team with two all star players. That makes sense; he wants to compete. The tricky thing is that the Nets are demanding one all star level player back in a Durant trade as well as a bunch of first round picks.

Right now, the Phoenix Suns are the favorites to land Durant at +190 with Bovada. They have a lot of young talent they could tempt the Nets with and also, they are a perennial title threat. The Nets will want Devin Booker for Durant but it’s unclear if the Suns are willing to do that. There are obviously a lot of things that need to fall in place and at +190, it’s not worth betting on. This Durant situation is constantly unfolding and there is better value on other teams to get Durant.

The next favorite is the Miami Heat at +450. They just lost in the Eastern Conference Finals and much like the Suns, the Heat have a lot of young talent they could send to pry Durant away. At +450, this is actually good value. Durant would love the opportunity to play with Jimmy Butler in Miami and the Heat have been contenders for a while. Durant would immediately make them the favorites and if Miami is being honest about their willingness to part with their assets, +450 is a steal for Durant’s next team.

Up next is the Toronto Raptors and ultimately, this line doesn’t make a lot of sense. At +500, the Raptors have essentially the same odds as the Heat and by simply looking at the Raps’ roster, one can see they don’t have the same assets the Heat have. The Raptors would likely have to trade Pascal Siakam in order to get Durant and if they trade him, Durant’s stipulation of two all star players would not be met. Toronto have had a lot of buzz in recent days about a Durant trade but just looking at it logistically, it makes no sense they would be able to land KD.

The next team is the Brooklyn Nets at +550. At that price, it’s actually good value. Trading for a player of Durant’s caliber is hard to put together and there are rumors that the trade package would exceed what the Lakers traded for Anthony Davis. That Davis trade took six months to develop and that could happen here. If so, the Nets have Durant under contract for four years and they could simply wait it out. If the Nets play hard ball and wait it out, then Durant will start next season on the Nets and cash this bet. At +550, it’s worth a shot.

The last team worth talking about is the Golden State Warriors. Of course, Durant played three seasons with the Warriors and won two Championships there. He is friends with a lot of the Warriors’ players and Golden State actually have a lot of young assets they could trade to the Nets. Durant is currently +1500 to start next season on the Warriors and while it would be shocking, those odds are actually good value. Durant wants to be in a position to win, and there may not be a better team to win with than the defending champion Golden State Warriors.

Overall, this story has captivated NBA fans and it’s expected Durant’s decision will shape the landscape of the NBA for years to come. He is truly one of the best players of all time and despite his age, he is still playing like it. It won’t be easy to get Durant but certain teams could definitely make it work. Whether the trade happens before the start of the season remains to be seen, but as this point in the offseason, it looks likely he is out of Brooklyn. Regardless, this story will be one all NBA fans will keep their eye on and the power balance of the NBA could be in for a big shake up.

More sports news