Few NBA stars have assumed the role of eternal villain in Cleveland Cavaliers history, but Kevin Durant may have the top spot.
In the second LeBron James era in Cleveland, four NBA Finals runs gave Cavs fans many moments and players to celebrate - but also just as many to loathe. Whether it was Kelly Olynyk injuring Kevin Love ahead of the 2015 Finals or Durant joining the Golden State Warriors in 2016, Cleveland's fan base has some long-lasting grudges stemmng from those four years.
As the NBA offseason trade cycle goes on, Durant's name has been one of the most commonly mentioned stars to be on the move. After the Phoenix Suns shockingly put Durant on the trade block amidst the Luka Doncic trade fallout, the relationship between KD and Phoenix has seemingly deteriorated. Whether Durant originally planned to leave the team this summer or not, it seems that will be the outcome.
The San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets have been linked to Durant numerous times already, but the Cavaliers were temporarily included in the long list of potential suitors. In a short-lived Twitter frenzy, Brett Siegel's skeptical report that the Cavs may have shown interest in Durant added a new storyline to an already complicated rumor mill in Cleveland.
Cavaliers shut down Durant rumors fast
Hours after Siegel's tweet, a couple of Cavs reporters swiftly slammed the door on any KD delusions. In an interview with 92.3 The Fan, Cavaliers insider with Cleveland.com Chris Fedor said the Cavaliers would be foolish not to explore the possiblity, but it was never going to happen.
Financially, Cleveland would face a near impossibility to trade for Durant. Both Phoenix and Cleveland are second apron teams this summer, meaning neither one can take back extra money or combine salaries in a deal. With Durant's $54.7 million salary, the Cavaliers would have to loop in a third team to take back enough extra money to drop the Cavs below the second apron and allow them to afford Durant.
Unless the Cavs would happily gut their bench and core to add Durant, there was never a realistic pathway to adding the two-time champion in the first place. Cleveland faced similar challenges when Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors first emerged. With the penalizing CBA the league is now under, Cleveland is out of the superstar sweepstakes for the foreseeable future.
On the court, Durant has clear value for the Cavaliers. He is a tall, playoff-tested veteran superstar. The former MVP stands at seven feet tall yet plays and moves like a guard, speeding past defenders on his way to the hoop. His three-point and mid-range shooting can be lethal, and his defense is still a positive. After trading for De'Andre Hunter at the deadline, the Cavs clearly know the best player to add to this team is a big, versatile wing. While Durant matches that description, the KD rumors were never a possibility.
If possible, the Cleveland Cavaliers should be willing to forget the past if it brings in Kevin Durant for the right price. Nonetheless, the Cavs do not have the capital for Durant or a pathway to get that flexibility.