You might not miss the bombshell that fell on the NBA on June 30, a few hours before the opening of the Free Agency. Kevin Durant asked his franchise, the Brooklyn Nets, for his trade. But now the more important question is: where might it go? And how to carry out such a historic transfer? Right away, zoom in on the Oklahoma City Thunder and its possibilities in order to recover KD.
Friday June 30, 2022, 8:49 p.m. French time, the explosion falls.
Kevin Durant wants to leave Brooklyn, time is running out and Coco wants to win more rings. After the time of the exploding thermometer, the entire TrashTalk editorial team has therefore asked themselves THE question that torments us all… but where the hell will KD pursue his career? To do this, and because we like to push the delirium as far as possible, we have collectively decided to look at all the NBA franchises. Yes yes, all the franchises: 29 detailed articles, with a quick overview of what might happen.
Place au Oklahoma City de Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Thunder situation
# Why would the Thunder go for KD?
To recall great memories (some bad ones too). To see the Kevin Durant – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander duo at work. To allow KD to become Oklahoma City’s hero once more following turning into public enemy number one on July 4, 2016. For the great story in LeBron mode, with KD returning to his old lands to take OKC to the title to play the role of BAFA animator. Yes, we know, in the end it doesn’t make too much sense, but regardless, we like theories that don’t hold water.
# Which players are unavailable?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the face of the Thunder project today and likely a future All-Star. When Nets general manager Sean Marks hints that he’d like to get a guy to build on (among other things) in exchange for Kevin Durant, he’s thinking players of the caliber of SGA. Only problem and it is a big one, the Nets are today unable to recover Shai via a transfer, they who have already recovered Ben Simmons through a trade. Indeed, the CBA does not allow a single franchise to have two players under one designated rookie extension in his squad if both come from a transfer. It’s too bad.
# Which Thunder players might catch the Nets’ attention?
- Josh Giddey, Chet Holmgren, Lu Dort (Darius Bazley, Ousmane Dieng, Jalen Williams, Jaylin Williams, Aleksej Pokusevski, Tre Mann, Théo Maledon…)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is certainly not available but the Nets can always turn to a batch of prospects, some of which are very promising. We think of Josh Giddey, author of a pure rookie season with SGA this year, and then inevitably of Chet Holmgren, second choice of the 2022 NBA Draft. If ever Sean Marks deeply loves unicorns, anything is possible. Alongside these two, we can place the Frenchie Ousmane Dieng (11th choice of Draft 2022), Jalen Williams (12th choice), Jaylin Williams (34th choice), or even Poku, Tre Mann and our national Théo Maledon. In short, you are spoiled for choice. In the slightly more confirmed player category, we can also mention Luguentz Dort (23 years old), who is one of the defensive references in the League and who is progressing nicely in attack. Otherwise there is also potentially Darius Bazley.
# Do they have Draft picks to offer them?
So there, let’s say that we should write a book to explain to you the mountain of picks that Sam Presti has. So we’re going to go to the simplest: a good fifteen first-round picks over the next six years, ditto for the second, as much to say that the Thunder can put together the best package in the whole NBA if we only talk regarding capital draft .
Nets salary grid
The perfect Thunder package :
- Lu Dort (Sign-and-Trade)
- Derrick Favors (salary issue)
- JaMychal Green (salary issue)
- Chet Holmgren / Josh Giddey
- 4 first-round picks
Feasibility score: 2/10
Kevin Durant on the Oklahoma City side? In fact, nothing is impossible and as a famous philosopher from Hérault said: it is by doing anything that you become anyone. To acquire KD, the Thunder knows in any case what he has to do. So, is it tempting or not?
