The Nets star has been slowly working his way back from injury. In the meantime, though, rumours circulated that Kevin Durant had been traded to the Lakers. Let’s explore the potential origins of the false allegations and debunk it once and for all.
Kevin Durant has been out of action for a while after suffering a right knee MCL sprain. The Brooklyn Nets star was forced to miss the All-Star Game last Sunday because of the injury, but was initially scheduled to be in attendance.
However, due a family bereavement, KD wasn’t in Cleveland for the NBA’s 75th Anniversary celebrations. Now the regular season is back under way, fans are itching to see Durant back in action. The Nets took on the Celtics last night. However, some of the online focus was around speculation Kevin Durant had been traded to the Lakers.
Fans ask whether Kevin Durant got traded to the Lakers
Ahead of the Nets vs Celtics game last night, some (confused) portions of social media thought Kevin Durant had been traded to the Lakers.
Some fans even tweeted the Nets star asking him whether it was true.
Debunked: Kevin Durant did not get traded to the Lakers
It’s difficult to determine where the rumour originated from but some fans think it could have emanated from a fake account pretending to be ESPN’s NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski. The account tweeted the Lakers were: “Trading for Kevin Durant and two first-round picks, per sources.”
However, the rumours are certainly false – Kevin Durant is not getting traded to the Lakers. Firstly, the 2022 NBA trade deadline closed at 3pm ET on Thursday, 10 February, meaning no more trades can take place this season.
Secondly, Kevin Durant signed a contract extension in August 2021 for a reported four years and $198 million. After the recent James Harden trade, KD’s future remains very much in Brooklyn.
KD edging closer to return
Nets fans are desperate to see KD back, especially with several new pieces added to Brooklyn’s roster. The Nets have recently added Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and Goran Dragic to their squad. It will be interesting to see how they fit around Durant and Kyrie.
In terms of Durant’s status, head coach Steve Nash recently said the player was close to a return. Nash said Durant has had one high-intensity workout and “seems like he’s getting there”.
When asked whether KD could feature on Saturday against the Bucks, Nash told Nets Daily it was unlikely. “I’m sure it’s possible but, for me, it’s probably in the next three games more likely than Saturday.”
