Report: Celtics viewed as ‘unofficial front-runner’ for Kevin Durant

The Brooklyn Nets have reportedly not shown any willingness to lower their incredibly high asking price for Kevin Durant, but it sounds like there was at least one offer that intrigued them.

Sam Amick of The Athletic describes the Boston Celtics as the “unofficial front-runner” to land Durant in a trade. The Celtics are said to have offered the Nets a package centered around Jaylen Brown and draft picks. Brooklyn turned it down and asked for reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart to also be included in the deal.

Sources told Amick that the Nets are using Boston’s offer as the starting point in negotiations with other teams. The message is essentially that any team that wants to outbid the Celtics had better be willing to part with their second-best player and then some. Brown is viewed as the second-most valuable player for the Eastern Conference champions behind Jayson Tatum.

Durant recently tried to turn up the pressure on the Nets by giving team owner Joe Tsai an ultimatum. Despite that, Brooklyn has shown no real sense of urgency to grant the 12-time All-Star’s request. If they do eventually lower their asking price, their first call may be to the Celtics.