Trade & FA 2025-26: Free Agency Starts 5pm CST/6pm EST

[SleepingHero]

Could someone lay out the contract\salary issues in a potential trade of AD for Durant? Salaries aren't off by much, but it's not perfect.

It'd be a one for one trade. Durant makes about 600k more than Davis, which means PHX can take back AD without a problem.

After that trade, the Mavs are in the same position as they currently are, now though about 4.1 mil over the 2nd apron factoring in Kyrie's rumored extension and Flagg's deal, and have to find a way to cut about 4.1 mil of salary. 

Does the roster make way more sense with Durant? I'd argue that it makes more sense in some ways but less in others. 

The Cons:

• Durant is also injury prone as AD now
  
• Durant is older than AD 
  
• We do take a step back defensively in this trade
  

The Pros:

• Durant is still arguably a better player than AD despite his age.
  
• I mean its Kevin Durant, sheesh. 
  
• His offensive versatility allows him to essentially function as a 2 guard out there and it'd allow the Mavs to run out a hypothetical line up of:
  

Kyrie
Durant
Flagg
PJ
Lively

On the face of it, it doesn't seem like there is much PG play, but Durant and Kyrie are offensive initiators and can create for others as much as they can create for themselves just due to the gravity they generate. Flagg also being a willing passer and someone that could potentially initiate the offense might make it work. It's interesting for sure. AD is a much better defender. KD is a much better scorer. 

However, 

1) I don't think PHX would be interested. AD is a bit younger than KD, and there is a Kentucky reunion with Booker, but he doesn't necessarily fix the issues PHX has which is that they are extremely top heavy with a 50 mil dead weight player in Beal preventing them from getting better. Sure AD fills a positional hole for them as a big man, but KD wasn't the problem in PHX. 

2) Nico isn't interested in trading AD. I mean, if he wanted KD so bad, why didn't he just trade Luka to PHX for KD? Nico said it himself that he RANKED a list of guys he wanted for Luka and went down that list. Following the rumors, he called the Wolves for Edwards and the Bucks for Giannis, then he called the Lakers. Which means he values AD more than KD.