Rumors of a seemingly endless trade for the Toronto Raptors fade away for a bit after this week, but we’re not entirely out of the woods just yet.
On Sunday, SNY’s Ian Begley (via Christopher Lavinio) reported that the Brooklyn Nets are in contact with the Raptors about a possible trade.
per SNY @Ian Begley A member of the Nets front office has been in touch with the Toronto Raptors about a subsequent contract. Given Kevin Durant’s impending return, it doesn’t look like the Nets are done with this roster restructuring.
— Christopher Lavinio (@ChrisLavinio) February 5, 2023
Earlier in the day, the Nets made headlines by sending star point guard Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks as part of a monster package of Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith, earning three draft picks. I was.
It’s not clear what players or draft picks will look like when discussing a potential trade between the two franchises.
Toronto’s Gary Trent Jr., Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby have been the subject of frequent trade rumors over the past month.
Toronto was seen as a top destination for Nets star Kevin Durant this summer, but Durant eventually withdrew his high-profile trade request before the season. Durant is in the first year of a four-year, $192 million contract as one of the NBA’s highest-paid players.
Durant hasn’t played since Jan. 8 when he suffered an MCL sprain.
Durant, 34, is averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 39 games this season, his third on the Brooklyn court after missing the 2019-20 season with an Achilles injury.
With a 32-20 record, the Nets are fourth in the NBA’s Eastern Conference and remain one of the league’s top contenders, but their title odds have taken a hit after the Irving trade. It’s not clear if the Nets will continue to build around Durant after Irving leaves, or if they will seek another blockbuster contract before the deadline.
Title odds move after Kyrie was traded:
Mabs: +2200 ⏩ +1400
Net: +1000 ⏩ +1800 pic.twitter.com/R9sCL2FdM7— Caesars Sportsbook (@CaesarsSports) February 5, 2023
Toronto, on the other hand, sits in 12th place in the Eastern Conference with a 24-30 record, and is expected to do well at the trade deadline.
According to multiple reports, the Raptors will wait until the last possible moment before making a decision with this year’s deadline set for Thursday, February 9 at 3 p.m. ET.
