Key points in the story:
—The Celtics appear no closer to acquiring Durant than others in discussions with the Nets, but Boston's ability to include All-Star forward
Jaylen Brown as a centerpiece in offers does help to make the team formidable in its pursuit, sources said.
—The
Miami Heat,
Phoenix Suns and
Toronto Raptorshave been well-known to have varying degrees of interest in Durant, but the Celtics have also been in regular contact with the Nets, sources said.
—There are no deals believed to have traction for Durant, and no team has yet to reach the significant threshold that the Nets have set to trade one of the league's most talented players, sources said. The Nets' posture on a potential trade has been largely unchanged: They want a massive return that potentially includes multiple unprotected first-round picks, pick swaps and impactful players for Durant, sources said.
The Celtics consider All-NBA forward
Jayson Tatumoff limits in any trade talks, but Boston is able to construct a package for Durant that could include Brown and as many as three unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027 and 2029) -- and two pick swaps (2024 and 2026). Brown, 25, has two years and $56 million left on his current contract.
Not sure why all of this qualifies as new news if a trade isn’t close.