Peter Botte: Kevin Durant’s trade request just the latest in troubling NBA trend

An entire new slew of young NBA stars signed massive contract extensions with their teams in the past week for staggering dollars, but how many of them will make it to the end of those megadeals without asking to be traded as Durant did last week?

KD twice previously switched teams as a free agent — which was fully his right both times, don’t get it twisted — from Oklahoma City to the multiple titles he won with Golden State to his gone-bust teaming with Kyrie Irving with the Nets.

Durant asking out last week came less than 11 months since Brooklyn re-signed him to a four-year, $198 million contract extension that kicks in this season.

The Nets similarly were participants in James Harden’s multiple requests to be relocated while under contract, mortgaging much of their future assets to complete a Big 3 alongside Durant and Irving in a trade with the Rockets and then shipping the unhappy 10-time All-Star to the Sixers in February.

Yes, all-time legends Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar also went that route decades ago to force their way to the Lakers, but the practice has become more and more common in recent years with stars such as Anthony Davis, Chris Paul, Paul George, Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard among those demanding, and being granted, trades elsewhere.

Irving also asked out of a championship situation alongside LeBron James in Cleveland and was dealt to Boston before eventually signing with the Nets, only to reportedly prefer a realignment now with LBJ in Los Angeles after opting into the final year of his contract for $36.7 million rather than decline it and sign with the Lakers for a salary-cap exception worth around $6 million.

The CBA proviso that players can earn longer and richer deals with their current teams than they can in free agency is the impetus for many of them staying put for these maximum deals. But how and where will it end for recently signed players such as Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Devin Booker, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Donovan Mitchell, Karl-Anthony Towns and the dozens of other players who may feel a need to reassess their situations in the coming years? It’s hard to believe every one of them will be with the teams they signed with last week when their contracts end.

Stephen Curry looks to be an outlier in this regard. He fully appears headed to join the likes of Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, previous generational players such as Larry Bird and Magic Johnson and various members of the old Celtics dynasty to win championships and stay with one organisation for the entirety of their careers.

Perhaps Giannis Antetokounmpo and a few others will join this dwindling latter group, but odds are more will follow Durant’s lead and seek what they believe is best for them and their careers rather than honour the contracts they gladly signed.

– NY Post