As Kevin Durant remains a member of the Nets following a request to be traded, the Raptors are one team commonly linked as a potential landing spot for the two-time NBA Finals MVP. But if any potential deal comes to fruition, Toronto appears keen on keeping hold of one player: forward Scottie Barnes.
“Scottie Barnes continues to be a non-starter for the Raptors in any Kevin Durant discussions,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said Tuesday on NBA Today. “There’s certainly been no progress there with Toronto.”
Wojnarowski added that the trade talks around Durant are likely to continue beyond summer league. The Nets are not budging on their high asking price for the 34-year-old Durant, who averaged 29.9 points per game on 51.8% shooting from the field last season.
“The Nets’ asking price for Kevin Durant remains steep. They’re trying to get teams to meet that price, and that’s certainly multiple draft picks, All-Star level players,” Wojnarowski said on Monday. “They want a return that speaks to the stature of who Kevin Durant is, where he is in his career: 34 years old, a player with four years left on his contract. They don’t have to be in a rush to do a deal. They do have time on their side.”
Barnes shined for the Raptors after being taken with the No. 4 pick in the 2021 draft. He started 74 games last season, averaging 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game en route to being named the Rookie of the Year.
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