Durant reportedly “goes dark” as Nets keep asking price high, trade talks drag out

The Brooklyn Nets are asking for a historic return in a Kevin Durant trade — and after seeing what Utah got back for Rudy Gobert, the price went up. Other teams are understandably trying to negotiate that price down, and the result is talks that are dragging out and will likely continue to do so.

Kevin Durant doesn’t want to talk about it (at least with other NBA stars), Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes reported on the latest edition of his Posting Up podcast.

“Since [Durant] requested a trade, there’s has been numerous stars that I’ve spoken to that have been trying to get in touch with him…KD has gone dark. He’s not talking to anybody.”

Well, except Durant is talking to Chet Holmgren on Twitter.

I see u cookin 7. First day on the job was a success, love the kicks @ChetHolmgren https://t.co/sQrgDpPCU0

— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) July 6, 2022

Meanwhile, the Nets continue to ask for a massive haul in a Durant trade — as Marc Stein reported in his latest newsletter — and they are not setting an artificial deadline and rushing just to get something done.

Brooklyn privately maintains that it won’t trade Durant unless it gets a package in return that starts with a blue-chipper like New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram or Toronto’s Scottie Barnes … along with lots more attached to a theoretical deal than the absolute hauls San Antonio and Utah received in exchange for Murray and Gobert.

How big a haul? From Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports on the Posted Up podcast with Haynes.

“I heard that Brooklyn came to Minnesota and said, ‘We want Karl Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and we want four draft picks.”

Maybe that was just the “aim high” first ask in a negotiation, but it set a tone (and the Timberwolves went another direction with Gobert). The Nets have been setting that tone around the league, and now they will see who wants to stay at the table and negotiate.

Just don’t expect anything to get done quickly.