Teams already preparing in case Kevin Durant becomes available?

But whatever the case, teams are reportedly making preparations for the Nets star potentially being available in the coming days. That’s according to ESPN insider Zach Lowe on a post-NBA draft episode of his Lowe Post podcast: “I can tell you this. This is what teams are doing. Teams are already operating under, not the assumption, but ‘we need to prepare for the contingency that Kevin Durant is available via trade in six days or seven days.’ … The whole league is now.”
Source: R.P. Salao @ Clutch Points

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBA
New podcast with @Logan Murdock with seven lingering questions following the NBA Draft on Brunson, the Spurs, Ayton, Gobert, John Collins, Wolves, Bulls, and the Durant-Irving situation @ringer open.spotify.com/episode/1GcuQK… – 8:34 PM

StatMuse @statmuse
The last three players the Thunder/Sonics drafted in the top five have gone on to win MVP:
— Kevin Durant
— Russell Westbrook
— James Harden
Chet’s up next. pic.twitter.com/fJq1h1wSES – 5:34 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Nets fans I’ve been phoneless (and still am for another hour) but that KD quote speaks for itself. – 3:45 PM

CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Kyrie Irving rumors: Kevin Durant says he ‘can’t be involved’ as Nets teammate mulls future
cbssports.com/nba/news/kyrie… – 2:47 PM

Vivek Jacob @vivekmjacob
Koloko says his favourite player is Kevin Durant and that’s why he wears 35 – 1:18 PM

Aaron Rose @AaronBenRose
Koloko says he wears No. 35 because he grew up loving Kevin Durant – 1:18 PM

Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Those folks at BetOnLine, who seemingly can’t get enough of the NBA rumor mill, have Heat at 5/2 favorites as Durant’s next team if he leaves Nets. Heat 4/1 third choice at Kyrie’s next team, if he leaves Brooklyn. – 1:14 PM

Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
Miami Heat are the favorites to land Kevin Durant if he leaves the Nets, per @betonline_ag pic.twitter.com/05YNYbnpZo – 1:12 PM

Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
As for Kevin Durant, the Heat are favored to land KD if he moves on from Brooklyn. Lakers have 12/1 odds, according to @betonline_ag: pic.twitter.com/LeXJrqPZnO – 1:06 PM

Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Kevin Durant says he’s staying out of Kyrie Irving talks at ‘perilous’ #Nets time. #NBA nypost.com/2022/06/24/kev… via @nypostsports – 12:52 PM

Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Per BetOnline, the odds on Kevin Durant’s next team if he leaves Nets:
Heat 5/2
Grizzlies 4/1
Hawks 9/2
Suns 5/1
Clippers 11/2
Knicks 6/1
Trail Blazers 15/2
Thunder 8/1
Lakers 12/1
Warriors 14/1
Worth pointing out that Durant still has four years left on his deal with the Nets. – 12:49 PM

Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
Lowe Post podcast: @Bobby Marks + @Jonathan Givony recap the draft +look ahead to free agency: Nets, Kyrie, fake KD trades, Ayton, DET/ORL draft hauls, Sixers trade, deals that didn’t happen (but still might), more:
Spotify: spoti.fi/39QSdm9
Apple: apple.co/3A2Mkx4 – 12:47 PM

Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Kevin Durant is reportedly monitoring the Kyrie Irving situation and mulling over his own future in Brooklyn.
@Amin Elhassan breaks down what it all means on No Look Pass. pic.twitter.com/y5wdkexgIx – 12:29 PM

Shandel Richardson @ShandelRich
Is KD the next move? #miamiheat si.com/nba/heat/miami… – 11:44 AM

Jorge Sierra @hoopshype
Who’s the best player you would trade for Kevin Durant? – 10:16 AM

Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
With Kevin Durant “monitoring” the Kyrie situation in Brooklyn, could he be on the move this summer?
@Brian Scalabrine makes the case for the #Celtics being KD’s next team. pic.twitter.com/MN2tsLQTII – 10:02 AM

Joe Cowley @JCowleyHoops
Bulls fans that actually drank the KD kool-aid and thought he’d be a Bull by the end of the draft. pic.twitter.com/e7X740PPe5 – 8:56 AM

More on this storyline

Rumors have it that if Irving ends up leaving the Nets, Durant could also ask out. For Windhorst, trying to trade for KD after the Irving situation blew up would be something the Heat could do. “The godfather move is not to trade for Kyrie Irving. The godfather move is to let the Kyrie Irving situation to blow up and then wait for Kevin Durant to say he wants out of there. That’s the Miami Heat move,” Windhorst said on ESPN’s Get Up. -via Clutch Points / June 25, 2022

Durant admitted that he didn’t think the Warriors were considered a dynasty until they won this most recent championship. But while he’s proud of the Warriors, he didn’t seem to appreciate how people thought he would view the Golden State return to the mountaintop. “I have some pride — like, damn, I was a part of something special, even though it was only two championships out of the four,” Durant said. “We had some amazing times. To see them finish it and continue it, yeah, you have a sense of pride to be a part of that. “But then, when you listen to the broadcast and it’s just like, ‘Well, KD should be feeling this way,’ and it’s like, ‘Oh, here we go.’ They can’t let me just enjoy what they’re doing instead of trying to pit me against them, because I’m always going to take my side.” -via East Bay Times / June 25, 2022

In an answer to a question posed by Eddie Gonzalez of the Etcs podcast, Kevin Durant said he isn’t involved in his teammate and friend Kyrie Irving’s free agency, adding, “I just let things play out and see what happens,” adding “Whatever happens, the friendship will still be there.” … “It’s no involvement at all. I can’t be involved with it,” he said. “This is this man’s livelihood. This is much bigger than me. Being a free agent, it’s one of the most important times in your career. That can’t be swayed by anybody else. I just do me and wait for the time. There’s nothing that can happen right now. I don’t think he can even make a decision on opting out until the 29th, I think. I just let things play out and see what happens, but keep the regular contact up with Kai and see what happens. It’s something that’s so much out of my control that I don’t want to be a part of it. We’ll see what happens though.” -via NetsDaily / June 24, 2022