Rumors are swirling that the Brooklyn Nets will eventually trade Kevin Durant after Kyrie Irving traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Brooklyn got Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and future draft picks for Mercurial.
Some basketball fans felt that Brooklyn lost a big opportunity to stockpile a first-round pick while also including Russell Westbrook in the deal. Nick Wright, however, had this to say about why Nets GM Sean Marks decided to accept Dallas’ offer:
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“Dorian Finney-Smith adds defense and three-point shooting. Dinwiddie gives you 65% of Kyrie’s offensive production and they picked. The Lakers offered you Russ and future picks.”
He added:
The Lakers’ package is better if they wanted to replace Durant as well. But because they’re going to try to calm Durant down and compete, this is a better package.”
Kevin Durant left Russell Westbrook and the OKC Thunder in the summer of 2016 to infamously join the Golden State Warriors. He later revealed that he wanted to move out because he was the only player who could consistently make jump shots.
Westbrook’s jumper has only gotten worse over the past two seasons with the LA Lakers. The name “Westbrick” was not entirely inaccurate, especially last season. The Nets don’t want to drop it on KD if they want to compete for a championship.
Additionally, having Westbrook and Ben Simmons at the same time will be something Kevin Durant wants no part of. The former has a ton of confidence, which often leads to taking reckless shots, while the latter hardly even tries to look at the rim.
Also, Joe Tsai reportedly never intended for Kyrie Irving to land in the LA Lakers. The Nets’ billionaire owner didn’t want to see a happy ending for a player who had given the franchise too many headaches.
Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets may have found the perfect replacement for Kyrie Irving in Cam Thomas
Cam Thomas barely saw any action behind Kyrie Irving, Seth Curry and Patty Mills in the lineup. Since Irving was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, the second-year guard is averaging 45.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He is also shooting a ridiculous 71.8% from behind the arc.
In a win against the Washington Wizards last February 4th, Thomas came off the bench and exploded for 44 points in just 29 minutes. He was the biggest reason why the Nets rallied from a 23-point deficit to win 125-123.
Two nights later, in his first start of the season, he scored 47 points against the LA Clippers, but was unable to lead the Nets to victory. Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets bench couldn’t contain their enthusiasm and excitement for the former LSU superstar over the last two games.
Without Irving, Cam Thomas might have earned his spot with the way he played. Kevin Durant now has two new pieces to work with, while Thomas’ explosive emergence is a welcome sight. The Nets could be the big winners in this trade with the Dallas Mavericks.
You might also want to read: IMPORTANT: Kevin Durant may trade Phoenix Suns depending on 13x All-Star’s availability, NBA insider Chris Haynes reports
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