<\/p>\n
Despite rumours of a championship contender making calls for Kevin Durant, it appears the superstar is not leaving Brooklyn any time soon.<\/p>\n
ESPN\u2019s <\/i>Stephen A. Smith claimed on Tuesday that Durant was on the \u201cverge\u201d of leaving and that Boston were sniffing around, but according to Adrian Wojnarowski,<\/a> the 34-year-old\u2019s departure isn\u2019t a sure thing.<\/p>\n Watch an average of 9 LIVE NBA Regular Season games per week on ESPN on Kayo Sports on ESPN on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now ><\/a><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n Wojnarowski reported Durant and the Nets are having \u201congoing conversations\u201d as to where the franchise is headed given Brooklyn had just traded away Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks.<\/p>\n Wed, 08 Feb<\/p>\n Wednesday February 8th<\/p>\n<\/div>\n And, as a result, the Nets has told teams interested in trading for Durant that he won\u2019t be traded before the deadline on Friday.<\/p>\n One team that could have been in the Durant sweepstakes is the Phoenix Suns, with the pair sharing mutual interest last summer.<\/p>\n However, Wojnarowski states the Nets \u201chaven\u2019t shown a willingness to move him to Phoenix or anywhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n Claxton’s utterly vicious dunk! | 00:42<\/p>\n MORE COVERAGE NBA trade deadline state of play: Why KD could follow Kyrie out the door; Lakers must act fast<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n Although plenty of eyes will be trained on what the Brooklyn Nets do between now and the trade deadline, many fans will be keeping tabs on what happens with the Toronto Raptors.<\/p>\n According to <\/a>Yahoo Sports\u2019 <\/a><\/i>Jake Fischer,<\/a> the Raptors\u2019 O.G. Anunoby, Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent remain \u201cbuzzy names on the trade market\u201d as the deadline nears.<\/p>\n Anunoby, who signed a four-year, $AUD103m extension with the Raptors in 2020, has been linked to several teams including the Lakers, Suns, Grizzlies and the Nets to name four.<\/p>\n But Fischer claims that teams across the league will cast their eyes towards moving for Durant in the off-season, meaning decreased interest in Anunoby.<\/p>\n However, VanVleet looms as a more realistic candidate for a trade as Fischer claims he is \u201cexpected to decline\u201d the $31m option in his contract for next season in pursuit of a pay rise.<\/p>\n The Clippers and Suns have been constantly linked with a move for VanVleet, with the Lakers, Magic and Timberwolves also now in the mix.<\/p>\n Another trade piece the Raptors might be willing to part with is forward Pascal Siakam.<\/p>\n And, in a remarkable twist, Ben Simmons could head the other way along with several first-round picks, according to <\/a>HoopsHype\u2019s <\/a><\/i>Michael Scotto.<\/a><\/p>\n Simmons only joined the Nets last season amid a messy exit from Philadelphia and has seen his first minutes on court in some time this season.<\/p>\n JAZZ PREPARED TO DO BUSINESS AS LAKERS OFFER MADE<\/b><\/p>\n According to <\/a>ESPN\u2019s <\/a><\/i>Tim MacMahon,<\/a> the Jazz would send rotation duo Mike Conley and Malik Beasley to the Lakers, with Westbrook along with a 2027 and 2029 first round draft pick headed the other way.<\/p>\n However, MacMahon reports that Westbrook would \u201clikely receive a buyout instead of joining the Jazz,\u201d meaning we might not see the superstar call Salt Lake City home just yet.<\/p>\n Conley has been with the Jazz since 2019 while Beasley was one of several trade pieces that moved from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Jazz in the off-season as part of the deal for Rudy Gobert.<\/p>\n MAVS PREPARE KYRIE FALLBACK PLAN<\/b><\/p>\n The Mavericks may have made a major splash by landing Kyrie Irving, but there\u2019s no guarantee he is still with the franchise next season.<\/p>\n It appears Dallas is preparing for the worst-case scenario, according to <\/a>ESPN\u2019s <\/a><\/i>Tim MacMahon<\/a>, <\/a><\/i>as they look to do some \u201cfinancial manouevering\u201d that would create a maximum-salary space to use in free agency.<\/p>\n MacMahon reports that this could be done through trading away Tim Hardaway Jr, who is owed $48m across the two years left on his deal, as the team shops him around the league.<\/p>\n Yahoo Sports\u2019 <\/i>Jake Fischer also claims that JaVale McGee, who signed a three-year deal to join the Mavs in the off-season, is also up for grabs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
NBA teams to circle as Sydney gun crowned MVP; winner named after shock snub: NBL Awards<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n