Durant shocks NBA with trade request
Nets superstar Kevin Durant reportedly requested a trade from the Nets on Thursday that has teams scrambling to put together offers for the perennial All-Star.
The Nets have been working with Durant to find a trade partner, and he has multiple teams on his preferred list. ESPN first reported Durant’s trade request, citing the Suns and Heat as two of his preferred destinations. The bombshell came just hours before the NBA’s free-agent period began at 5 p.m.
Durant is a 12-time All-Star, four-time scoring champion, three-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time NBA champion — those rings coming with the Warriors, the team he was with before joining the Nets. He has four years and nearly $200 million remaining on his contract, meaning that it might take a haul of players, draft picks or possibly both for a team to acquire him.
Durant spent three seasons with Brooklyn, not playing in the first of those years while he recovered from an Achilles injury. He averaged 29.9 points in 55 games last season, after leading the U.S. to Olympic gold at the Tokyo Games last summer.
Unless he changes his mind and stays, his departure will be a huge blow to the Nets.
Nuggets’ Jokic agrees to record deal
Nuggets star Nikola Jokic agreed to a fiveyear, $264 million supermax extension with the Nuggets — the largest contract in league history. The Serbian star has had a meteoric rise in his seven NBA seasons with the Nuggets. He became an All-Star in his fourth season and has stayed at that level since. He also has won the MVP award in each of the last two seasons after averaging 26.4 points in 2020-21 and 27.1 points this past season.
Brunson joining Knicks on 4-year deal
Point guard Jalen Brunson agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal with the Knicks, according to league sources. The former Stevenson High School star was a reliable backup option with the Mavericks behind Luka Doncic. Dallas made the Western Conference finals this past season with Brunson averaging a career-high 16.8 points and 4.8 assists.
Beal returning to Wizards
As many expected, All-Star guard Bradley Beal will return to the Wizards on a five-year max deal worth about $251 million. Beal, who has spent his entire 10-year career with the Wizards, was limited by injuries to 40 games last season but averaged over 30 points per game in each of the previous two years.
Grizzlies’ Morant nets $231 million deal
Grizzlies All-NBA guard Ja Morant agreed to a five-year designated rookie extension that likely will be worth $231 million. At 22 years old, Morant has established himself as a bonafide superstar, averaging 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists.
Towns agrees to 4-year supermax
Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns agreed to a four-year, $224 million supermax extension. Towns has become one of the league’s most dominant offensive big men during his eight years with the team.
Booker gets $224M extension
Suns star Devin Booker agreed to a fouryear, $224 million supermax extension. Booker, 25, has become the face of the Suns’ franchise since being drafted 13th overall in 2015.