sport news Kevin Durant following Kyrie Irving out the door in Brooklyn? trends now

With Kyrie Irving shipped off to Dallas, the Brooklyn Nets have been contacted by the Boston Celtics about a potential Kevin Durant-Jaylen Brown deal ahead of Thursday's trade deadline, according to Stephen A. Smith.

'I'm hearing that he's on the verge of potentially being moved,' Smith said on Monday's edition of ESPN's First Take. 'Obviously, we've all been speculating about that, that he may be moved. They're on the phone. I'm hearing Boston is making some calls. Keep your eye on that, Jaylen Brown. Keep your eye on that.'

Durant requested a trade out of Brooklyn prior to the season, but rescinded that demand after sitting down with owner Joseph Tsai, general manager Sean Marks and then-coach Steve Nash to hammer out his issues with the Nets.

Nash has since been fired and the Nets responded by going 30-15 under his replacement, Jacque Vaughn.

But just when things appeared to be improving in Brooklyn, the Nets (32-20) hit an impasse in extension talks with Irving, who demanded a trade. Marks acquiesced, sending Irving to the Mavericks for a 2029 first-round pick, point guard Spencer Dinwiddie and forward Dorian Finney-Smith.