Let’s be honest for a second here: The Brooklyn Nets didn’t want anything to do with Kyrie Irving; he was just the price to pay to keep Kevin Durant on board. But now that he’s gone, their championship chances have taken a slight dip.
Durant has no reason to stay in Brooklyn if he doesn’t think they can win a championship with their current roster. And truth be told, they’re at least one tier below the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
With Kyrie Irving already out of Brooklyn, the Nets will get plenty of offers for Kevin Durant’s services, just like it happened during the offseason. But where could he finallyland? Let’s break it down.
NBA Rumors: 3 Potential Destinations For Kevin Durant
Miami Heat
Pat Riley gets his guy — Getty Images
The Miami Heat were keeping tabs on Durant during the off-season, and the word around the league is that Pat Riley is desperate to land another star. Notably, he’s the kind of guy that usually gets what he wants.
However, the biggest issue here is that the Heat don’t have that many draft picks to give away. So, the trade package would likely be centered around Nikola Jovic and Tyler Herro, so the Nets might not want to take that.
Phoenix Suns
A star in the desert — Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns also tried to get Durant in the off-season and failed to get Kyrie before he arrived in Dallas. They got multiple first-round picks, Cam Johnson, Deandre Ayton, Jae Crowder, and Chris Paul to try and put together a trade package.
Of course, there’s a big chance that Durant doesn’t want to play in the desert, but he may not have a say in all of this. Also, the prospect of him and Devin Booker getting buckets is quite appealing.
Los Angeles Lakers
Teaming up with LeBron — Getty Images
Rob Pelinka had been holding onto his first-round picks, waiting for a chance like this. Just like the Suns, the Los Angeles Lakers couldn’t get Kyrie, but that shouldn’t stop them from making a run at Durant.
Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis playing together would be like a dream come true, even if it happens when they’re entering the backend of their primes. They just cannot afford to lose him to another team.
