Reports say that the Suns will get Kevin Durant from the Nets in a huge trade.
For Kevin Durant and T.J. Warren, the Nets are said to be getting Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, 4 first-round draft picks, and a pick swap.
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| The Suns will deal for Kevin Durant from the Nets |
Multiple reports say that at midnight on Wednesday, the Phoenix Suns made a huge trade with the Brooklyn Nets to get 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant. The news outlets said that the Suns added Durant to their starting lineup, which already had All-Stars Chris Paul and Devin Booker in the backcourt, as well as center Deandre Ayton.
In the deal, the Suns will send the Nets Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks, and more draft picks. In the deal, the Suns also get forward T.J. Warren.
The following:
Kevin Durant
The Nets give T.J. Warren:
Mikal Bridges Cam Johnson
Jae Crowder traded four first-round picks for a 2028 pick.
The Nets are trading Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns for a package including Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, four first-round picks and additional draft compensation, league sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. https://t.co/fJoFHv3i7M
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 9, 2023
ESPN story on the Suns landing Kevin Durant — and how the night and negotiations unfolded https://t.co/ZmQPdki3HS
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 9, 2023
Durant is 34 years old, but he is still one of the best players in the NBA. He averages almost 30 points per game this season. During the summer, there were rumors that Durant would be traded to the Suns, but nothing happened until Wednesday.
The trade happens just hours after Mat Ishbia became the new majority owner of the Phoenix Suns. The basketball fan who was a walk-on at Michigan State under Tom Izzo and calls himself a "nut" didn't waste any time shaking up the NBA.
Chris Haynes of NBA on TNT says that Durant's camp and the Nets worked together on the move from Brooklyn to Phoenix. Haynes says that both the Nets and the Suns were interested in the move, and that he left on good terms with both teams.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN says that the Suns were close to a three-team deal that would have given them forward John Collins from the Atlanta Hawks. But Ishbia and Nets GM James Jones texted Nets GM Sean Marks late Wednesday night, and the trade that will send Durant back to the Western Conference was soon put together.
It was a collaborative effort by the camp of Kevin Durant and Brooklyn Nets to find the right situation, sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport. Both sides were committed to pursuing that objective and part ways on good terms.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 9, 2023
Phoenix has never taken home an NBA title. The Suns made it to the Finals two years ago, but they lost in six games to the Milwaukee Bucks. In 1976 and 1993, they also played in the Finals.
The group of Durant, Paul, Booker, and Ayton seems to make the team a title contender again right away.
The Suns have been hurt a lot this season, but they have played better in the last few weeks. With a 30-26 record, they moved up to fifth in the Western Conference. Both Booker (groin) and Paul (hip) have just come back from being hurt.
Durant is currently getting better after straining a ligament in his right knee, but he should be back soon.
Kyrie Irving, who used to play for the Nets, heard the news and said, "I'm just glad he got out of there."
Irving was just traded from the Nets to the Dallas Mavericks, where he will play with Luka Doncic on another top Western Conference team. Irving played his first game with the Mavs on Wednesday against the Clippers. He scored 24 points.
"We talked a lot about what our futures would be like throughout the year," Irving said. "There was still some uncertainty, but all we cared about was being in places where we could both thrive. Whether we were together or apart, there was never a time when I thought he was mad at me for the choices I made or when I thought he was mad at me.
"Now that we are in the same conference, I just love the competition."