FanPost

Wonder if Stevens leaked the proposed Durant deal on purpose

I wonder if Stevens leaked the proposed Durant deal on purpose knowing full well that the Nets wouldn't accept the proposal to drive up the market of the trade knowing that Kyrie and Ben baggage is enough to keep the Nets down if he stays there.

Many of the Celtics competitors of top teams in the league, Miami, Phoenix, Golden State, were all rumored to be in the hunt for Durant.


When the Celtics deal for Brown, White, and First Round pick was put out there, which is great value for an aging 34 year old that hasn't played much the last 3 years and the Nets said no, this now sets the market value so much higher for these other teams.

To make trade now with those teams, you are talking guys like Butler and Booker to match up with Brown and those teams are less likely to do it. The Nets GM will look like a fool to settle with players that are not even top 25 players from any of these teams where the draft picks returned will be lower first round picks.

So, that leaves teams that just are not good enough even with Durant to find either an up and coming player or not doing a deal at all.

While the Nets on paper could still contend and make a challenge next year if Irving and Simmons can get their head on straight, what are the odds of that happening? Probably higher since Kyrie won't get a max if he pulls any of the stunts he has pulled each of the last 5 years, but I don't think Kyrie can help himself on being a bad teammate.

So by making that deal public, the Nets GM either has these options:

1) Look like a fool on accepting a much lesser core player than Brown (Phoenix, Golden State, Heat)

2) Trade him to a team for an upcoming player from a non contending team where Durant in itself probably won't be enough to put that other team over the hump.

3) Keep Durant and hope for a miracle that Kyrie and Ben will get some sanity back and be a good teammate.

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