CLEVELAND — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from the June 30 episode of The Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show.
Just hours ahead of the start of NBA free agency, Kevin Durant sent shockwaves through the league when the 12-time All-Star requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
But while the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns are thus far the only teams to have been reported as Durant's preferred destinations, the reality remains that while the 2014 NBA MVP may get traded, it may not be to where he wants. With four years remaining on the $194 million extension he signed just last offseason, the 33-year-old forward may ultimately not have much leverage when it comes to picking his next team.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nets "plan to move Durant where they can get the best possible deal" and there is "no shortage of teams willing to unload assets for Durant." If that's the case, it's not a stretch to think that the Cleveland Cavaliers could be in the mix.
If it's young talent that Brooklyn is interested in acquiring, Cleveland has plenty of it, with what is widely considered one of the best young rosters in the NBA. In 24-year-old center Jarrett Allen and 22-year-old point guard Darius Garland, the Cavs possess a pair of players who made the All-Star Game this past season, while 2022 unanimous All-Rookie first-team selection Evan Mobley is widely considered Cleveland's best young player.
The Cavs also have a trio of former lottery picks in (restricted free agent) Collin Sexton, Isaac Okoro and Ochai Agbaji, each of whom are 23-years-old or younger. Cleveland owes its 2023 first-round pick to the Indiana Pacers due to the Caris LeVert trade, but otherwise possesses all of its future first-round picks.
While acquiring Durant wouldn't require the Cavs to part with all of its young assets or draft capital, it would almost assuredly take a sizable haul for Cleveland to pull off such a deal. Realistically, the conversation would likely come down to the Cavs' willingness to part with either Mobley or Garland, a difficult proposition for a franchise that seemingly possesses such a promising future.
But if there are any players worth having that conversation for, Durant is on the shortlist on them. One of the best scorers in NBA history, the Texas product is capable of transforming any team he plays for into an instant NBA title contender.
Assuming they wouldn't have to part with both Garland and Mobley -- and that might be a big assumption -- that would likely be the case in Cleveland, which rarely has the opportunity to acquire top-level talent outside of the draft. The conversation might seem crazy, but it's one worth having, and one that would have seemed unfathomable just a week ago, let alone a year ago.