Could the LA Clippers land Kevin Durant in a trade this off-season?

Kevin Durant has been one of the best players in the NBA for quite some time now. As one of the greatest scorers the NBA has ever seen, Durant has had a phenomenal career. Throughout his said career, Durant has two finals MVPs, two championships, a league MVP, as well as many All-Star and All-NBA selections.

It was recently reported that Kevin Durant has requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. In the summer of 2019, Durant had his eye on the LA Clippers as a potential destination. After a few seasons with the Nets, Durant wants out. With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George entering next season at full health, the LA Clippers may be the best possible destination for Durant.

As the Nets do not have many 1st round draft picks for the next few years (trade for James Harden), they may be looking for assets that could help them stay in championship contention. The Clippers have one of the deepest rosters in the NBA. Continue reading to find out a trade package the Clippers could put together in order to land Kevin Durant.

The Clippers have the best trade package possible to offer for KD.

Kevin Durant joining the LA Clippers would instantly make them championship favorites for the years to come. Durant is a 6’10” forward with elite shot-creation ability and great playmaking skills. Last season, Durant averaged 29.9 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game, and 6.4 assists per game, while shooting 51.8% from the field and 38.3% from the 3-point line.

Kevin Durant also had a great defensive season as he posted a defensive rating of 112.3. Durant also averaged 1.6 deflections per game on 8.1 contested shots per game. To put these numbers in perspective, Mikal Bridges, who finished 2nd in Defensive Player of the Year voting, averaged 2.0 deflections per game on 5.9 contested shots with a defensive rating of 109.6.

As Durant is one of the league’s best players, the asking price will not be cheap. The Clippers have just enough to trade for Durant and keep most of their roster in place. A package of Luke Kennard, Marcus Morris, Norman Powell, Brandon Boston Jr, a 2023 2nd-round pick, and a 2024 2nd-round pick would be just enough to trade for Kevin Durant and Day’Ron Sharpe. Through this trade, the salaries, as well as talent, match up for both teams.

This trade package makes sense for both sides. The LA Clippers get one of the best players in the NBA to join Leonard, George, and Tyronn Lue. The Brooklyn Nets will receive an All-Star talent in Powell, one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA with Kennard, a veteran three-level scorer in Morris, a promising young player in Boston Jr, as well as a few picks. This gives the Nets much more depth and talent to stay in championship contention.

Although the LA Clippers would lose some depth, they would be adding a superstar in Durant who still has four years left on his contract, and young talent in Day’Ron Sharpe. This would also be one of the best offers the Nets could receive for Durant as many teams would not be willing to give up their roster depth. The LA Clippers would be getting better on both ends of the floor as adding Durant would ease the load on Leonard and George. A trio of Durant, George, and Leonard would give opposing teams nightmares on offense and defense.