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“50K Fine Incoming”: Fans Accuse 2 NBA Stars of Tampering as Kevin Durant Trade Rumors Gain Friction

Published 06/26/2022, 12:57 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

The NBA offseason is already gaining steam just one week after the 2021/22 season came to an end. And the Brooklyn Nets find themselves in a precarious situation. Rumors surrounding Kyrie Irving wanting out of the Brooklyn Nets have taken over. The uncertainty surrounding Irving’s future with the Nets has also sparked questions about what comes next for Kevin Durant and his future with the Brooklyn Nets.

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KD, however, has held his cards close to his chest by not officially declaring a decision. Despite this, other NBA stars have already begun recruiting the two-time NBA champion to their team. The Portland Trail Blazers’ standout duo of Damian Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic made it abundantly apparent that Durant is their team’s missing piece of the puzzle.

Both players shared the same image of Durant in a Blazers jersey on their social media pages. Jusuf Nurkic first tweeted out the photoshopped image on Saturday afternoon.

Damian Lillard then decided to send the NBA world into a frenzy as he followed the Bosnian big man, posting the picture to his Instagram story.

The two may have drawn the attention of the NBA’s front office since they might be confronted with a hefty tampering fine. However, they probably wouldn’t mind if the eventual outcome is that they get Kevin Durant to the City of Roses. Lillard will soon be 32 years old. With the clock ticking down for Portland, a superstar talent like Durant would undoubtedly provide them with a much-needed lifeline.

Twitter reacts to Lillard and Nurkic’s pursuit of Kevin Durant

The Portland Trail Blazers pair chose to send shockwaves across the social media world. Such a picture would be expected to be posted by a fan or a basketball account. However, with Lillard and Nurkic posting this image, it was an unusual sight for fans on Twitter.

Kevin Durant Breaks Silence on Kyrie Irving Trade Rumours

Some accused the tandem of tampering, while others claimed that the Trail Blazers lacked the assets to trade for Durant.

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Is Durant to Portland possible?

Kevin Durant taking his talents to the Portland Trail Blazers would likely be a boon for the organization. A player of his caliber and talents can possibly elevate any franchise into a contender. However, he and Lillard together could be a nightmare for the rest of the league.

Giving up Durant, however, is highly unlikely for the Brooklyn Nets. There’s a slim possibility they’ll acquire the very same value for him, especially from the Trail Blazers.

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To match Durant’s contract, the Blazers will have to combine the contracts of multiple players. They will also have to send a slew of first-round picks, which might be beneficial to the Nets if they decide to part ways with Durant for any reason.

If the Trail Blazers are able to acquire Durant and re-sign Nurkic, they will have a potentially tremendous lineup, featuring Lillard and their recent acquisition, Jeremy Grant.

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However, envisioning Durant and Lillard on the same court appears to be a utopian dream for Portland fans right now. Nonetheless, this is the NBA, where incredible and bizarre things can happen.

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Written by:

Ritvik Malhotra

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Ritvik is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Having completed his Bachelor's in Journalism and Mass Communication from Amity University, Ritvik has finally got his foot in the door as a professional sports writer. He previously interned at another media house where he authored over 150 soccer articles, but he is now writing about his primary obsession, basketball.
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Edited by:

Veer Badani