Before the LA Clippers make their official offer for NBA icon and Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant, they should evaluate the arrangements of the previous teams he has played for, both before and after his arrival. This list consists of only the Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, and Brooklyn Nets, but it will be a crucial step in the discussion to see the basis of how their rebuild will be ignited.
Another component of LA’s homework on Durant is to see how some of his prior teams constructed their depth around him, given the majority of them have rostered at least one other superstar.
A prime example to analyze is the Nets, as they are still rebuilding years after the two-time champion was shipped for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and draft picks. Brooklyn had three total superstars, including Durant, Kyrie Irving, and current Clipper James Harden, who tried for a ring but crumbled in the midst of an incomplete championship puzzle.
Furthermore, most thought the Nets had it figured out when they acquired all three, but the real issues came within their depth. They were forced to sign several players on bargain deals, and although pay cuts had been accepted, Brooklyn was without a role-playing star.
The Clippers would be in a similar position with Harden, Durant, and Kawhi Leonard. Thus, they must do themselves a favor in the long run and study the Nets’ past meticulously.
The LA Clippers could prevent a long-term disaster by examining how the Nets handled their Kevin Durant era
To maintain Kevin Durant’s maximum salary next to James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, the LA Clippers would have to waive a heartfelt, emotional goodbye to Norman Powell, Bogdan Bogdanović, and Ivica Zubac, which they should highly refrain from doing. This is a combined outgoing $54.6 million to match Durant’s incoming $54.7 million.
The seams line up perfectly, but before proposing the exchange, executive Lawrence Frank must understand who will be left. Would the three superstars be able to win the NBA Finals with a lead supporting cast of Derrick Jones Jr., Nicolas Batum, and other solid veterans? Likely not.
LA already has issues at center and in the second unit, so by agreeing to this trade, their imperfections deepen. The Brooklyn Nets faced similar struggles as they attempted to work with an aging Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and LaMarcus Aldridge but ultimately came up shy.
For this reason, along with the Clippers having to trade Zubac, Frank should stay away from the 36-year-old legend.