Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant against the Indiana Pacers, Wednesday, Jan....

Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant against the Indiana Pacers, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022, in Indianapolis.  Credit: AP/Darron Cummings

The phones started ringing almost immediately.

By multiple accounts, more than half of the teams in the NBA have placed a call to the Nets in the wake of Kevin Durant’s announcement that he wants out of Brooklyn. Many have placed multiple calls.

The Suns and the Heat still are said to be two of Durant’s preferred landing spots. One thing remains clear as he begins his stunning and inelegant exit: The Nets owe him nothing.

Stars of Durant’s caliber are almost never available, and Nets general manager Sean Marks understands what he has. Marks, by all accounts, is looking for a haul of epic proportions. With no shortage of suitors, he knows he can get the maximum return for the four-time scoring champion, who is under contract for four more years.

The Nets believe they can do even better than what New Orleans did when they sent Anthony Davis to the Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first-round picks. Or what Oklahoma City got when they sent Paul George to the Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and five first-round picks.

In fact, the Nets should feel more emboldened after the Rudy Gobert trade Friday. Minnesota’s Danny Ainge sent Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, 2022 first-round pick Walker Kessler and four other first-round picks to the Jazz to pair Gobert with fellow All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns.

Durant, 33, is so talented that he could elevate many teams to contender status. With so many options, you can expect the Nets to take some time sorting through it all. It’s also very possible they might have to find a third team to facilitate the deal they want.

At this point, probably the only teams that can be ruled out as a destination for Durant are Golden State (been there, done that) and the Knicks (the Nets aren’t going to do that).

One thing that could complicate their trade options is the designated rookie rule. That rule allows players coming off a rookie contract to sign five-year extensions rather than four. Teams can have only one such player who has been acquired by a trade, and the Nets already have that player in Ben Simmons.

As it stands, the Nets won’t be able to trade for a list of players that includes Gilgeous-Alexander, Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Andrew Wiggins, Donovan Mitchell, De’Aaron Fox, Jayson Tatum, Jamal Murray and Joel Embiid.

Of course, a lot of those players wouldn’t be included in a deal anyway.

The Nets also could trade Simmons, but his stock isn’t exactly at an all-time high. He hasn’t played in a year and has been suffering from back problems and mental health issues.

The complicated nature of a Durant deal means that a Kyrie Irving trade likely will be put on the back burner. Sure, the Nets could make some kind of deal that includes both, but the priority is to get the most they can for Durant.

Irving, who played only 29 games this past season because of his vaccination status, has fewer suitors.

The Nets did lose one player as free agent Bruce Brown agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with the Denver Nuggets. Brown played in 72 games last season, averaging 9.0 points and 4.8 rebounds and shooting 40% from three-point range.

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