Layup Lines: Kevin Durant should just embrace the hate and go back to the Warriors

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What’s good y’all. It’s Prince here for another Layup Lines, and boy did free agency day get started with a bang. Kevin Durant reportedly requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, and I can’t say I saw that coming.

But now that it’s out there, the question obviously becomes where does he go? There are reports out there that the Suns and Heat are two of the preferred destinations for Durant, but can I interest you in a Golden State Warriors reunion?

Draymond Green has been taking heat the last couple days for saying the Warriors wouldn’t have won another championship after 2015 if Durant didn’t join the team two years later. And it’s understandable why, considering he framed it in a way to minimize Stephen Curry’s greatness. And they literally came within a game of repeating in 2016.

Regardless, I understood what he was trying to say and didn’t think it was so outlandish. Before they even had a chance to blow that 3-1 lead against the Cavs, they had to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the previous round against Durant’s Thunder. They were clearly beatable.

But now, after winning their third title since, I think they’re especially vulnerable. Don’t get me wrong, the Warriors are good, they’re the champs. But they aren’t infallible. Green and Klay Thompson aren’t the same players they once were. Curry had to play out of his mind for them to beat the Celtics. Andrew Wiggins exceeded expectations, but he’ll need to take it up another level if they want to repeat. They’re also relying on a lot of young guys to develop. But why hope when you could just package a few of those assets to Brooklyn for the man Wiggins replaced?

Wiggins is coming up on a contract year, and the Warriors will have an interesting decision to make for someone who’s paid like a top option but isn’t one. They could get ahead of that now, and bring back someone who is — assuming KD is interested. Pretending to know what KD wants is where this whole thing gets tricky. But he can keep chasing something that replicates the success he had in Golden State, to no avail, or he can just go get the real thing back and flip a bird to the haters.

The Tip-Off

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Since Durant news is the news of the day, let’s stay there for a moment. Brooklyn is sure to get a nice haul in whatever trade package they accept for the all-world talent. And more than likely, that’s going to include a big name coming back to the Nets. But who could they realistically land in such a deal?

My colleague Bryan Kalbrosky scoured through a few rosters to answer that question, starting with one of KD’s reported preferred destinations, the Phoenix Suns, and what he had to say might surprise you.

“Might we see a sign-and-trade involving former No. 1 overall pick DeAndre Ayton? Do we even know if Ayton wants to play for the Nets? He would need to agree to a sign and trade. If he signs an offer sheet elsewhere, he is no longer eligible to be traded.

Additionally, would the organization even be willing to include Defensive Player of the Year candidate Mikal Bridges or lengthy sharpshooter Cam Johnson? There are a lot of factors at play with this one and it could get a bit chaotic.

The biggest question people aren’t asking, though: Are the Suns bold enough to potentially even trade Devin Booker if they could get KD? As good as he is, I’m not so sure I’d consider Booker untouchable. KD is so, so much better.”

Trading Booker would be a bold move by the Suns but one that would require them to sacrifice fewer assets and depth pieces. It’s really interesting to consider.

One to Watch

(All odds via Tipico.)

Sean D. Eliot/The Day via AP

Atlanta Dream (+200) at New York Liberty (-5.5, -250), O/U 158.5, 7 PM ET

Playing one another for the second time in the last week, the Dream and Liberty are teams going in completely opposite directions. Atlanta has lost seven of its last eight games while New York has won seven of its last 10, including the 12-point victory over the Dream in its last game. Well-rested since then, I expect a similar result for New York, so I’m picking the Liberty to cover 5.5 points.

Shootaround

— While Kevin Durant news broke the internet, the Nets traded for the Jazz’s Royce O’Neale.

— A time like this calls for the Trade Machine. And some of these fan trades are just ridiculous.

— With free agency upon us, here’s a look at the 15 highest paid players for next season.

— Anthony Edwards is good at everything, including football. His skills left Tom Brady impressed.