Even when the Chicago Bulls — as they need to — do the whole lot of their energy to commerce for Kevin Durant, it is a longshot their finest package deal will stack up with different groups.

So, within the occasion they don’t seem to be in a position to land the 12-time All-Star, the place ought to followers be rooting for him to land? Or, maybe extra importantly, the place ought to they be rooting in opposition to him touchdown?

Listed here are three of the Bulls’ worst-case locations for Durant:

Miami Warmth

Based on a number of reviews, the Warmth and Suns are atop Durant’s most popular commerce locations. Him touchdown in Miami would, clearly, be a disastrous outcome for the Bulls.

The Warmth, which completed final common season because the East’s No. 1 seed, had been already a seemingly unsolvable impediment for the Bulls. They went 0-4 in opposition to Miami of their 2021-22 regular-season sequence, shedding the video games by a median of 12.5 factors.

Including Durant to that blend definitely would not enhance the Bulls’ possibilities of matching up effectively, particularly if the Warmth had been in a position to pull a deal off with out parting with Bam Adebayo or Jimmy Butler.

Boston Celtics

The Celtics are already the reigning Jap Convention champions with a burgeoning younger core to construct upon transferring ahead. Even when a transfer for Durant price them Jaylen Brown, pairing Durant with Jayson Tatum can be a downright deadly mixture, particularly given the encircling defensive infrastructure.

Just like the Warmth, the Celtics already projected to be a tier above the Bulls within the Jap Convention hierarchy. In the event that they enter the Durant combine, they’ve the potential to ascend even greater.

 

Toronto Raptors

There is not (but?) any reporting linking the Raptors to Durant. However they’ve a variety of younger gamers that might curiosity the Nets — from OG Anunoby to Pascal Siakam to Scottie Barnes to Fred VanVleet — and a lead govt in Masai Ujiri that has a historical past of seismic strikes (see: his 2018 commerce for Kawhi Leonard).

Whereas this one may be extra of a longshot than the Warmth or Celtics, a commerce to the Raptors would have extra intimate impression on the Bulls. Toronto completed one spot above them within the East final season after weeks of jockeying for place. A commerce for Durant would vault them into a unique stratosphere.