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Before NBA free agency started on Thursday, Kevin Durant shocked the world by demanding a trade. Durant reportedly wants out of the Brooklyn Nets despite having four years remaining on his contract. The news comes shortly after Kyrie Irving exercised his player option to stay in Brooklyn.
The Nets are open to the idea of trading their superstar forward, but they have leverage. The franchise can bide their time until they receive the best offer. Several teams have the necessary assets to acquire Durant, who has reportedly drawn up a list of his preferred destinations.
Here is the latest NBA rumors roundup for July 1, 2022 brought to you by Sportskeeda.
Wizards, Kings linked with Hawks' John Collins
The Atlanta Hawks have acquired Dejounte Murray from the San Antonio Spurs this offseason and could now shift their focus to offloading some players. Two teams are reportedly interested in acquiring John Collins from Atlanta.
According to Carmichael Dave of Sactown Sports, the Washington Wizards and Sacramento Kings are the likely landing spots for Collins. Dave noted that the Wizards lead the race for Collins, although the Kings still have a chance of acquiring him.
With Okenya Okungwu ready to make an impact, Atlanta is willing to trade Collins in favor of additional perimeter defense.
Brooklyn Nets want multiple All-Stars for Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant wants out of Brooklyn even though he still has four years left on his contract. The Nets are willing to entertain offers for their disgruntled superstar. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (h/t Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News), the Nets want an All-Star and "significant" amount of draft compensation in exchange.
With the Atlanta Hawks sending the San Antonio Spurs three first -ound picks and a pick swap for Dejounte Murray, Durant would command a lot more. He is arguably one of the top five players in the world today.
Meanwhile, The Athletic noted that the Nets want multiple All-Stars in exchange for Durant. If the Nets want to be competitive in the future, they have to get the best deal they possible.
Dallas Mavericks not interested in Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving decided to stay with the Brooklyn Nets and exercised his player option for next season. Irving was given permission to seek a sign-and-trade, but no deal was made. He's still eligible for an extension, but could become an unrestricted free agent next season.
With that in mind, the Nets could make the decision to trade him this offseason or at the NBA trade deadline. Kevin Durant's trade demands make the situation even more complicated. Irving is one of the most talented players when healthy, so a handful of teams will show interest.
However, the Dallas Mavericks have removed themselves from the Irving sweepstakes. Marc Stein of The Stein Line stated that the Mavericks will not pursue Irving amidst the Durant trade drama. Dallas has already made offseason moves, adding Christian Wood and JaVale McGee.
Chicago Bulls among NBA teams inquiring about Kevin Durant
The Chicago Bulls are among the teams interested in acquiring Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, as per Joe Crowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Crowley noted that the Bulls' front office made a phone call to Brooklyn about Durant, despite the team not having the assets required to push a deal through. They still need to re-sign Zach LaVine, which is their main priority this offseason.
Meanwhile, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report named the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns as Durant's preferred destinations. The Heat and Suns were the best teams in the East and West, respectively, last season. Both teams also have the necessary assets to acquire KD from Brooklyn.
Danilo Gallinari narrows down options to Bulls and Celtics
Danilo Gallinari was waived by the San Antonio Spurs after they acquired him from the Atlanta Hawks in the Dejounte Murray deal. Gallinari already has suitors, including the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics, as per Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer.
The Bulls can offer the most money, but the Celtics are the defending Eastern Conference champions. The Celtics need shooting and Gallinari is one of the best shooters in the NBA. He can stretch the floor and provide scoring off the bench. He averaged 11.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists last season.
The Bulls' advantage is that they have links to Gallinari. Bulls vice president Arturas Karnisovas was in Denver during the player's time there, while Billy Donovan coached him for one season in Oklahoma City. Davide Chinellato of La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that the Bulls have offered Gallinari a two-year deal.
Guess the Lakers players!
