As an Athletic subscriber, here's the section of Shams' Inside Pass that pertains to KD and the Celtics. Doesn't tell us more than I already posted but here it is for those curious. It's not the whole article, just the section that relates to KD and the Cs.
The Celtics offered Brown, guard Derrick White and a draft pick to the Nets for Durant, sources said. The proposal was rejected, and Brooklyn has asked Boston — in any proposal — to include Brown, Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, draft picks and potentially one more rotation player, those sources added. Currently, the Celtics are less inclined to include Smart along with multiple other player or pick assets, but the franchise is mulling over next steps on how to approach discussions.
As of right now, the Celtics have emerged as a serious possibility as a landing spot for Durant. They have tremendous interest in bringing him in and view him as a piece that could take them over that final hurdle. Although there is work to be done, there is a deal to be had that would suffice the Nets’ overwhelming ask.
For Boston, fresh off a trip to the NBA Finals, the opportunity to potentially land one of the greatest players in league history is one that president Brad Stevens must analyze and explore. However, the Celtics are assuredly set to be judicious and are keen on ensuring the franchise can remain a championship contender for years to come, which this current core appears to be set to do. But this is Kevin Durant, and his greatness could instantly reshape a team’s fortunes from a title contender to a title winner under the right circumstances.
No deal for Durant is imminent, and as August and then September loom, the real desire of interested teams will become clear to the Nets. Brooklyn’s front office, led by general manager Sean Marks, has set a high price on the Durant market while constructing a team that gives the organization confidence in its ability to contend should the team bring the roster, as is, into training camp. The onus is on the interested parties to come to the table on meeting the price for one of the NBA’s greatest ever players. The Utah Jazz moved Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a package including multiple players, their 2022 first-round pick in Walker Kessler, four future first-rounders and a draft pick swap — which has somewhat increased the market value for Durant and the Nets’ desire for All-Star caliber players and picks.
Nets star Kyrie Irving opted into his $37 million player option for next season, committing to the 2022-23 season with the franchise. In Brooklyn, there remains plenty to sort out — and a clearer picture promises to reveal itself as the summer rolls along — and a belief still that the best path to compete for a championship could certainly be to bring the current roster into the new season.
https://theathletic.com/3446562/2022/07/25/celtics-offer-jaylen-brown-package-for-kevin-durant-the-latest-on-donovan-mitchell-and-more-inside-pass/
Even just based on the leaked information it's clear that, per Occam's Razor, these sources are coming from Brooklyn to float the perceived price for Durant and maybe cause some discord in the Celtics lockerroom, but the bolded really speaks to how much of a low-rent waterboy Shams is for his sources.
(Also, at least Woj could actually string a decent sentence together, rather than being at war with the written word.
"However, the Celtics are assuredly set to be judicious and are keen on ensuring the franchise can remain a championship contender for years to come, which this current core appears to be set to do."
This is felonious abuse of a thesaurus. )
Now, it's possible that the Celtics as constructed just had their moment in the sun, like the 2012 OKC Thunder, and that the core of Smart-Tatum-Brown won't make it back to the Finals again.
But it would take a special kind of idiot to look at the reasons the Celtics came up short against Golden State and say "hey, you know what would have solved this problem? Getting rid of Jaylen and Marcus and having Kevin Durant on the squad instead."