Sources: Kevin Durant sees Celtics and Sixers as desired landing spots, would like to play with Marcus Smart

A few notes on the Nets and Kevin Durant….

Durant sees Boston as a desired landing spot, per people familiar with the matter. Durant also would like to play with Boston’s Marcus Smart if he is traded to the Celtics, per people familiar with the matter.

The Athletic had previously reported that Brooklyn wanted Smart included in a package from the Celtics in any Durant trade.

It is unknown if Boston and Brooklyn have made progress on a deal. SNY reported last week that there had been pessimism about a Durant trade being completed in the near future.

That was before Durant met with Nets governor Joe Tsai and delivered an ultimatum, telling Tsai to trade him or fire general manager Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash.

Tsai subsequently wrote on Twitter that he backed Nets management and the coaching staff and would operate in the best interest of the franchise.

Durant, presumably, knew that Tsai would back Marks and Nash. So it’s fair to assume that Durant delivered his ultimatum in an effort to put pressure on the Nets to make a deal.

Teams know that Tsai is not going to fire Nash and Marks to keep Durant. So a Durant trade from Brooklyn seems to be inevitable.

It’s just a matter of how long Tsai and the Nets are willing to wait and if/when teams decide to meet their steep asking price.

Aside from Boston, who else is a legitimate Durant suitor?

As various outlets have reported, Miami and Toronto are among the teams with interest in Durant. It’s fair to assume that nearly all NBA teams have checked in with Brooklyn in some fashion regarding Durant.

Something worth noting: As of earlier this week, there were high-ranking members of the Sixers who’ve felt strongly about engaging with Brooklyn on a Durant trade.

It is unknown if Brooklyn and Philadelphia have made any recent progress on a trade.

Previous reports stated that the Suns were at or near the top of the list of teams Durant would like to be traded to. An offseason trade to Phoenix seems unlikely due to the DeAndre Ayton signing. So what happens now? Well, it’s worth noting that, in addition to Boston, Durant also sees Philadelphia as another welcome landing spot, per people familiar with the matter.

The Sixers would almost certainly have to include Tyrese Maxey in a trade for Durant. Given the dynamics at play, you’d think that Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle and other players/draft picks would be included.

According to ESPN, the Nets want to field a competitive team after trading Durant.

Depending on the players and picks involved, you could see either the Celtics or Sixers satisfying Brooklyn’s wishes in a Durant trade.

Maxey is one of the top young guards in the league. Harris, a New York native, is seen around the league as a high-character player and leader. He has a history with Ben Simmons in Philadelphia and is the type of veteran who could help the Nets team win games after a Durant trade.

Even without Smart, a Celtics package centered around Jaylen Brown would, presumably, be attractive to the Nets.

Does a Raptors package without Scottie Barnes get a deal done? What about a Heat package without Bam Adebayo?

Regarding the Sixers, it would be a bit strange on the surface for Durant to reunite with James Harden after the way things played out in Brooklyn. Is there any lingering issue between Harden and Durant? For those reading the tea leaves, it’s worth pointing out that both Durant and Harden spent time together in London recently.

If Durant is traded to Boston, it would reunite him with Celtics head coach Ime Udoka. Durant and Udoka have a strong relationship from their days together with USA Basketball and in Brooklyn. Udoka was an assistant coach under Nash. As SNY previously reported, Udoka had no problem holding Nets stars accountable during his time as an assistant. You wonder if things would have been different in Brooklyn if Udoka was on the bench this past season.

WHY DOES DURANT WANT NASH AND MARKS FIRED?

If Durant is traded from the Nets, there will be plenty of discussion about his legacy and the shortcomings of his Nets tenure.

Fans and media will certainly have a wide range of opinions on the topic. (Something to consider: Is Magic Johnson’s demand that then-Lakers coach Paul Westhead be fired factored into his legacy?)

I think Durant’s trade request and ultimatum would tarnish his legacy, but if he helps Boston – or another team – win a title, then I assume it will be more of a footnote 20 years from now.

With that being said, Durant’s hard stance on Nash is a bit puzzling.

Back on April 8, Durant was asked for his thoughts on how Nash handled the Nets’ season.

"I think he’s done a great job. The last two years, he’s been dealt a wild hand: injuries, trades, disgruntled players, guys in and out of the lineup, and stuff that he can’t control," Durant said. "I felt like he’s handled it the best as he could."

After the Nets’ season-ending loss to Boston, Durant was asked again about Nash. He gave a public endorsement.

Did something change between the end of the season and now?

It’s worth noting that, as reported earlier this week, the perception that Durant picked Steve Nash as Nets head coach is inaccurate, per a source. The Nash hire was driven by Sean Marks.

Why would Durant want Marks fired?

That’s unclear. Again, it’s worth noting that Marks’ comments after the 2021-22 season about Kyrie Irving’s future didn't sit well with Durant and other Nets.

Durant and Irving didn’t meet with Marks prior to signing with Brooklyn in the 2019 offseason, which is odd.

From the outside looking in, it seemed like Marks and the Nets made moves that Durant approved of, for instance the Harden trade.

But there have been so many transactions and big decisions made during Durant’s tenure. Maybe Durant will shed light on his reasons for wanting Nash and Marks out on his podcast or in a future news conference. Maybe it was all an attempt to force the Nets to trade him.

Either way, the Durant-Nets tenure appears headed for a divorce. Do the Nets make a move before training camp, or do they force Durant to decide between attending training camp and holding out?