Kevin Durant just requested a trade from the Nets.
Brooklyn already has a new forward – Royce O’Neale from the Jazz.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:
The Nets are acquiring the Jazz's Royce O'Neal in a trade for a 2023 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022
Brooklyn is sending the lesser of their own, Houston or Philadelphia's 2023 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022
Shams Charania of The Athletic:
Utah is waiving forward Juancho Hernangomez, sources tell me and @Tjonesonthenba.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022
The Nets must choose a direction with Durant asking out. Trading a first-round pick for a 29-year-old O’Neale is a curious choice.
Remember all the discussion about Utah’s weak perimeter defense in front of Rudy Gobert? That wasn’t just about Donovan Mitchell. A supposed defensive specialist, O’Neale took a big step back last season, though at least continued to shoot well on 3-pointers.
The Jazz might have been pleased to unload his $9.2 million salary for next year and $2.5 million guarantee (of $9.5 million) for the following year. A first-rounder is even better.
Juancho Hernangomez’s $7,307,130 salary for next season was unguaranteed.
These cost-trimming moves position Utah to use the non-taxpayer mid-level exception this summer. That should draw a player better than O’Neale and Hernangomez.
