Yes, The Boston Celtics Should Trade Jaylen Brown For Kevin Durant (Maybe)

The Celtics is not going to get Kevin Durant. They definitely is not going to, or, at the very least, nearly definitely. Perhaps. However then, they do have the flexibility to place forth among the best packages the Nets would obtain for his or her erstwhile star, who surprised the NBA world on Thursday simply forward of the beginning of free company by asking the Nets to commerce him. The Celtics, then, may doubtlessly commerce for Kevin Durant.

A large swath of Boston backers urged on Thursday that the Celtics mustn’t commerce for Durant, even when the Nets had been amenable to a deal and Durant—who has the Suns and Warmth atop his want record, in keeping with studies—got here round to the thought of enjoying in Boston. That’s comprehensible, as a result of the fee for a Durant commerce would begin with Jaylen Brown, who’s 25 and simply helped lead the Celtics to the NBA Finals, which included a sweep of Durant’s Nets.

Comprehensible, however nonetheless illogical. Certain, Durant can be 34 when subsequent season opens, and is heading into the primary of a four-year, $164 million contract. It’s a crimson flag, buying and selling a burgeoning star for a man who’s 9 years older.

Kevin Durant Carried A Heavy Nets Load

However it’s Kevin Durant, and Durant stays one of many three finest gamers within the NBA, whilst age and wear-and-tear take one thing of a toll. His efficiency within the Nets’ sweep by the hands of the Celtics is held up as an indication that his physique could possibly be giving approach, as he shot an abominable 38.6% from the sphere. No query he was bodily beat by the point that collection was over, however why shouldn’t he be? He performed 44.0 minutes per sport within the playoffs, first within the league.

He had a stellar season, averaging 29.9 factors on 51.8% capturing, and 38.3% 3-point capturing, and did so regardless of carrying a ridiculously heavy load for Brooklyn all 12 months. Kyrie Irving, in fact, sat out for a lot of the season due to his refusal to adjust to the New York Metropolis mandate and be vaccinated in opposition to Covid-19, and a 3rd member of the group’s alleged Massive Three, James Harden, merely struggled for a lot of the 12 months, particularly early on. Harden was traded on the deadline for Ben Simmons, who didn’t play in any respect for Brooklyn.

Durant missed 27 video games with accidents, however nonetheless performed 2,047 minutes for Brooklyn, second on the group. He averaged 37.2 minutes, essentially the most he’s logged since he was 25 and enjoying in Oklahoma Metropolis. He took 20.3 photographs per sport, tied for second-most in his NBA profession. Keep in mind the center of final December when Durant gained back-to-back video games for the Nets with a beginning 5 of himself, Patty Mills, Nic Claxton, David Duke and Blake Griffin? It is just pure that Durant was drained in April. He had no supporting forged for a lot of the earlier 12 months.

He’s nonetheless among the many very small group of NBA super-elite, a bunch that features Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Stephen Curry and possibly nobody else (apologies, Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum). In case your group is near championship rivalry and has an opportunity to accumulate a participant on that record, you completely take it.

Brown is youthful than Durant and in 5 years, absolutely would be the higher participant. He put up 23.6 factors, 6.1 rebounds and three.5 assists final 12 months. However the Celtics have the prospect to win now, and probabilities to win now are uncommon. The Celtics mustn’t overpay for Durant—a package deal of Jaylen Brown, a draft decide or two, Payton Pritchard (or Grant Williams, however not each) and Daniel Theis as wage ballast is about as excessive as Boston ought to take its provide. No Marcus Good. No Robert Williams.

However drop Durant right into a lineup with USA Basketball teammate Jayson Tatum and the Celtics have, arguably, the very best offensive one-two punch within the NBA. Good and Williams would give them an nearly equally imposing one-two punch on the defensive finish. Al Horford and Derrick White could be chipping in, too. Durant wouldn’t have to launch so many photographs as he did final 12 months, would have an appropriate supporting forged round him.

He’d be a championship-caliber participant on a championship-ready group.

It could sting to commerce away Jaylen Brown, who has change into a really well-respected member of the Celtics on and off the ground. Danny Ainge wouldn’t do it, however his successor, Brad Stevens, has been in far more of a direct gratification mode. He’s extra more likely to make that transfer. In the long run, the Celtics would possibly discover it unattainable to get into the Durant sweepstakes in any respect. But when they had been to make it occur, they might be the favorites to recover from the hump and win the 2023 Larry O’Brien trophy.

That’s too vital a chance to go up.