Kevin Durant Demands Trade

[The Human Q-Tip]

How do you prevent the player from just making the "trade demand" through backchannels?

That's the problem. There already is a penalty for players demanding trades publicly, and the players avoid that by having their agents convey it privately. Just a slight variation from that to having it conveyed via backchannels/other players, etc.. All they have to do is ensure the team knows they want to be traded without directly saying so, and punishment becomes very difficult.

What you'd have to do if make it so that max players couldn't be traded period, or that these is a penalty kicker or something to reduce the incentive to demand trades even if the player can't be shown to have demanded it. And it would have to be unwaiverable by the team. So obviously, that could hurt teams as well.

Or maybe the league just has to show more balls when it comes to what constitutes a "trade demand", so that they could basically peak behind the curtain and consider something a trade demand even if made indirectly or inferentially.

 

[cavsfever]

Part of what saves the NBA (in my mind) is that these superstar teams do not have a great track record. The Warriors/Bucks/Suns/Celtics have not been constructed this way -- and have enjoyed a ton of success. Teams like the Raptors (and Warriors) added a key star in Leonard (Durant), but the base of those teams were functional before hand.

That really leaves 1 title for the Lakers, 1 title for the Cavs (I think you can consider us a weird superstar-constructed team between LBJ returning and Love), 2 titles for the Heat, as the odd exceptions where "superstar-built" teams have worked.... Interestingly, all of them have included LBJ.

It’s no conincidence that they have all included LBJ. Not only is he just a better player than those other guys, he doesn’t blow up teams or ask out of his contract early. He does do short contracts but that’s different.

 

[cavsfever]

I said it before….the NBA needs to cut out guaranteed contracts. So when somebody starts demanding a trade after signing a mega max deal….owners can say “Sure! We terminate your contract. Go sign with any team you want….good luck getting $250 million”

You don’t have to go all the way to doing this, what you have to do is negate the threat of sitting out a season by ending the contract guarantee if the player refuses to play. And no “mental health” bullshit excuses, only a physical injury justifies sitting out

 

[Ohioplayer00]

You don’t have to go all the way to doing this, what you have to do is negate the threat of sitting out a season by ending the contract guarantee if the player refuses to play. And no “mental health” bullshit excuses, only a physical injury justifies sitting out

Not addressing mental health issues would violate federal ADA regulations! I go along with the idea that max contracts come with the “No trade” stipulation (unless the team/player agree that the contract is not guaranteed) and also a “games played” clause.

 

[Ohioplayer00]

You don’t have to go all the way to doing this, what you have to do is negate the threat of sitting out a season by ending the contract guarantee if the player refuses to play. And no “mental health” bullshit excuses, only a physical injury justifies sitting ouNot addressing mental health issues would violate federal ADA regulations! I go along with the idea that max contracts come with the “No trade” stipulation (unless the team/player agree that the contract is not guaranteed) and also a “games played” clause.

We all know Ben Simmons MH issue was an act but the league had to “accommodate” his “condition”!

 

[inliner311]

You don’t have to go all the way to doing this, what you have to do is negate the threat of sitting out a season by ending the contract guarantee if the player refuses to play. And no “mental health” bullshit excuses, only a physical injury justifies sitting out

Doesn't the NFL have a different salary for players on IR? I think that could be solution. Add an IR and create a much smaller salary for players that end up on IR. If a guy wants to create an injury or mental health illness to sit out, then they don't get paid the millions to do so.

Side note: Ive never understood why the NBA doesn't have at least 1 IR slot. Guys are always hurt and it seems weird that teams have to accumulate a handful of injuries to get a exception to sign another player but they dont give a additional roster spot for players.

 

[Kepler]

 

[Ohioplayer00]

The Warriors are already in the luxury tax. To get Durant they would have to give up Poole and Kuminga plus picks!

 

[southernflyer]

What you'd have to do if make it so that max players couldn't be traded period, or that these is a penalty kicker or something to reduce the incentive to demand trades even if the player can't be shown to have demanded it. And it would have to be unwaiverable by the team. So obviously, that could hurt teams as well.

Make it a penalty from the player to the team in salary paid back, that also gets that team's salary cap adjusted. For a five year max deal, 100% of first year player salary if the contract has not started, 75% player penalty of the current year's deal to the team in the first league calendar year, 66% for the second, 50% for the third, 40% fourth and 33% fifth year. That is a cap bonus like a trade exception that gets credited in equal amounts up to three league years or the end of the contract, whichever is shorter.

If DG asks for a trade in the 2024-2025 league year in his second year of his new contract, his player penalty back to the Cavs would be 66% of $35.9m, or around $24m. This gives no relief to the new team, they would still show the $35.9m on the books. The Cavs could then use the salary exception in $8m increments over the next three years, $12m for two or $24m for one. Even in the fifth year of the contract, 33% of $43.9m would be a $14.63m penalty which is good for the salary credit one calendar year from the trade.

There would be a 15 day grace period from signing of the contract for the team to complete pre-negotiated sign and trades.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Make it a penalty from the player to the team in salary paid back, that also gets that team's salary cap adjusted. For a five year max deal, 100% of first year player salary if the contract has not started, 75% player penalty of the current year's deal to the team in the first league calendar year, 66% for the second, 50% for the third, 40% fourth and 33% fifth year. That is a cap bonus like a trade exception that gets credited in equal amounts up to three league years or the end of the contract, whichever is shorter.

If DG asks for a trade in the 2024-2025 league year in his second year of his new contract, his player penalty back to the Cavs would be 66% of $35.9m, or around $24m. This gives no relief to the new team, they would still show the $35.9m on the books. The Cavs could then use the salary exception in $8m increments over the next three years, $12m for two or $24m for one. Even in the fifth year of the contract, 33% of $43.9m would be a $14.63m penalty which is good for the salary credit one calendar year from the trade.

There would be a 15 day grace period from signing of the contract for the team to complete pre-negotiated sign and trades.

The problem is the "asking for a trade" part. They just won't ask directly to avoid having those penalties trigger. They'll just leak it through third parties, then wink wink, nudge nudge a denial if asked.

 

[cavsfever]

This truly sounds like raw speculation…two basketball stars had a convo where they said “wow…wild how life works out sometimes man, yeah…”

 

[Ohioplayer00]

Just throwing it out there….should we get in on the KD sweepstakes?
Would Colin, Lauri, Okoro and two firsts do it? Just wondering?

 

[Vipra]

Just throwing it out there….should we get in on the KD sweepstakes?
Would Colin, Lauri, Okoro and two firsts do it? Just wondering?

I have seen such trade ideas in some forums, but with more picks.
One trade idea had the players you mentioned, plus 2 unprotected FRPs and 2 FRP swaps.
Another one had two top-3 protected FRPs, 2 FRP swaps, and another lottery protected FRP via Charlotte (assuming they trade Haywards and lottery protected FRP for Love to save $28 million).
There are some trade package ideas centered around Mobley, too (Mobley, Love, Okoro, 2 FRPs).

Having Durant is great. But I would rather have patience and see what these young guys can develop into.

 

[prf100]

The only thing the Nets are going to get for Kevin Durant are a bunch of lottery tickets over the next 5 years, and salary relief that can be turned into cap space that can be turned into more lottery tickets.

Maybe the Nets can trade those lottery tickets for other assets, maybe not.

The Nets are so fucked, and Kevin Durant is a wuss.

 

[Alec]

The Nets fucked up by selling the farm for three (debatably four) head cases. Durant, Simmons, and Irving!

Lmao