Before Kyrie Irving decided to exercise his 2022-23 player option, the entire NBA considered the alluring scenario of Kevin Durant seeking a trade.
Had Irving left the Brooklyn Nets, there’s a chance Durant may have also wanted to exit. If the two-time NBA Finals MVP requested a trade, suitors would have lined up for an opportunity to acquire the 33-year-old superstar.
That crowd would have reportedly included the Atlanta Hawks.
According to The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner and Sam Amick, the Hawks “were monitoring Brooklyn’s situation closely” and “seriously preparing for the possibility” of Durant seeking a trade.
It might have ended up a moot point even if Irving opted out.
On Wednesday, the Hawks sent Danilo Gallinari, three first-round picks, and a future pick swap to the San Antonio Spurs for Dejounte Murray. The All-Star guard gives Atlanta the second star it desired alongside Trae Young.
Durant and Young is a fun hypothetical pairing to imagine, but it would have cost the Hawks much more than picks and Gallinari to land the four-time scoring champion. The team now boasts a lethal backcourt while keeping De’Andre Hunter and John Collins (for now).
The Hawks almost certainly weren’t the only team keeping close tabs on Brooklyn’s situations. If fact, organizations are probably still watching closely just in case.