3. Atlanta Hawks
Aside from the Bucks, the one team the Lakers don’t want to see Durant land with in a potential trade in the east is Atlanta. Any team that isn’t the Bucks or Hawks in the east would be perfect from the Lakers’ perspective. The Hawks are one of the few teams who has a young star and the picks and contracts to get a deal done for Durant.
Kevin would also be going to a place he could bring their first championship and instantly be the best player on. If Kevin Durant and Trae Young join forces and both can stay healthy the title is headed to Atlanta.
Atlanta already made the move to acquire Dejounte Murray why push the chips to the middle of the table? Atlanta could send the Nets what draft picks they have left after the Murray trade as well as a package of John Collins, DeAndre Hunter, and Bogdan Bogdanovic in exchange for Kevin Durant. While they lack the clear picks to get the deal done they have the best young core to offer in exchange for Durant.
Atlanta’s starting lineup would be Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, A.J. Griffin, Kevin Durant, and Clint Capela. While the Hawks would have to rebuild their bench the lineup would be good enough on its own to make them clear title favorites.
What a Lakers trade would look like for both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant
The Los Angeles Lakers are now back in the market for a Kyrie Irving trade but what if the team shocked the world and traded for Kevin Durant too?
Who has the defensive personnel to stop Durant, Murray, and Young? While it would not be as impactful in the short term if Durant joined the Hawks it would certainly limit the Lakers’ potential demanding they find another star if they have any hopes of becoming a real title contender.