Buying and selling Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell in a 5-team pretend deal that includes Lakers, Suns

Kevin Durant requested a commerce from the Brooklyn Nets hours earlier than free company opened on June 30. Now nearly two weeks later, Durant stays with Brooklyn, with little momentum constructing towards a deal. We now have been tracking every Durant trade rumor if you wish to catch up. Spoiler alert: an entire lot of nothing has occurred.

We do know just a few issues a few potential Durant commerce based mostly on insider reporting since his request. Durant’s most well-liked vacation spot is the Phoenix Suns. The Nets need a younger All-Star again in any deal, together with a minimum of three future first spherical draft picks. Whereas nearly each crew has ‘checked in’ on a Durant commerce, the Nets haven’t seen the league-wide bidding battle they have been hoping for. It may be inferred that no crew at present making a proposal for Durant is making their finest provide but.

We additionally know there’s been a number of smoke connecting Kyrie Irving to the Lakers. Los Angeles is reportedly Irving’s only possible destination if he’s traded from Brooklyn. We all know the Pacers are interested in Deandre Ayton, presumably with Myles Turner going again within the deal.

It’s extremely tough to assemble a two-team commerce for Durant that satisfies each social gathering. If the Nets don’t need Ayton again on a max (as has been reported), Phoenix doesn’t have the top-end expertise to get the job performed itself. The identical seemingly goes for the Raptors in the event that they gained’t embody Scottie Barnes, and the Pelicans in the event that they don’t wish to half with Brandon Ingram. The chances are the Durant commerce goes to should be a multi-team deal to get everybody the whole lot they need. Clearly, that’s sophisticated.

The Durant saga took one other potential flip this week when it was reported the Utah Jazz are willing to listen to offers for All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell. Utah already traded Rudy Gobert to Minnesota for a massive haul of picks earlier this month. It’s onerous to examine how the Jazz might construct a contender round Mitchell within the short-term, so buying and selling him for an additional massive package deal of picks might make sense. Mitchell is strictly the kind of participant the Nets covet in a Durant commerce.

Right here’s a 5-team commerce for Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell that would fulfill each social gathering

Earlier than you yell at me, please know:

• Sure, I notice that is ridiculous.
• It could be extraordinarily tough, possibly even unattainable, to get each crew to conform to a commerce like this.
• That is merely a tough define of what a possible multi-team commerce involving Durant and Mitchell might appear to be. It could have to be expanded with wage fillers to make it work.

If each participant goes to get to their most well-liked vacation spot, it might look one thing like this:

Nets get: Donovan Mitchell, Mikal Bridges, Myles Turner

Suns get: Kevin Durant

Pacers get: Deandre Ayton

Jazz get: Russell Westbrook and picks

Lakers get: Kyrie Irving

Why would each crew conform to this commerce?

Once more: that is tremendous sophisticated, and impossible to undergo. However in case you look onerous sufficient, you possibly can see the motivation from each aspect.

That is an unbelievable Durant return for the Nets. They get a younger All-Star in Mitchell, a real 3-and-D wing in Bridges, and a beginning middle in Turner. Brooklyn couldn’t ask for something greater than this.

The Suns swap Ayton, Bridges, and picks for Kevin Durant. KD remains to be among the best gamers alive. Phoenix is firmly within the combine for a championship after this deal.

The Jazz commerce Mitchell for an additional bundle of picks, plus Westbrook’s expiring contract to match wage. Westbrook would seemingly be purchased out. This deal most likely requires three first spherical picks from the Suns and two first spherical picks from the Lakers going make to Utah. There’s prone to be some decide swaps in there, too.

The Pacers improve from Turner to Ayton. That’s a pointy transfer for Indiana.

The Lakers land Irving. LA would seemingly should half with two future firsts to make this occur, nevertheless it’s value it to provide LeBron James one other shot at a championship within the twilight of his prime.

After all, this commerce isn’t that straightforward. Brooklyn couldn’t even have Mitchell and Ben Simmons on the identical crew as a result of it could violate the league’s Designated Rookie rule, which bars groups from having a number of gamers on five-year extensions from their rookie contracts. So Simmons must be moved elsewhere. We’ll let another person work out that downside.

There are additionally a ton of potential hangups. The large one is Utah’s return for Mitchell. What do the Jazz need in return for his or her younger star if they really commerce him? Might a crew just like the Knicks swoop in and make a greater provide for Mitchell? Getting the Jazz to conform to this might be the toughest half, however two Lakers picks and some Suns picks may very well be an excellent place to begin. It’s additionally value asking if the Lakers would actually half with their 2027 and 2029 first spherical picks for Irving on an expiring contract.

The rumors proper now are connecting Durant to Phoenix, Irving to Los Angeles, and Ayton to Indiana. The Mitchell commerce rumors are additionally apparently getting actual. This deal is a long-shot to make certain, nevertheless it’s a technique everybody concerned might get one thing near what they need.