Nets ship Kevin Durant to Phoenix in blockbuster deal

Last updated: 2023/02/09 at 7:40 PM

BigP Published February 9, 2023

The Brooklyn Nets have agreed to trade 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant and to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and a 2028 pick swap, according to multiple reports. T.J. Warren will also head to the Suns as part of the trade.

Durant named the Suns as his desired destination when he first requested a trade from the Nets in June 2022, however, the Nets held onto both him and Kyrie Irving with the hope that they could contend in the 2022-23 campaign. While the Nets are 32-22 and fifth in the Eastern Conference, the departure of Irving due to a contract dispute all but signaled the end of their championship pursuit. In the last year, the Nets have traded their once-heralded Big Three of Irving, Durant and James Harden.

The arrival of Durant makes the Suns one of the favorites in the Western Conference. The 34-year-old forward averaged 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game in 39 appearances for the Nets this season. He joins a Suns team headlined by Chris Paul, Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton.

The Suns made the NBA Finals in 2021 but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.

Durant signed a four-year, $198 million extension with the Nets in 2021. He’ll earn $53 million in the final year of his contract (2025-26).

Bridges, Johnson and Crowder have served as the wing core for the Suns for the better part of the past few seasons. On the year, Bridges is averaging 17.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists, while Johnson is putting up 13.9 points and 3.8 rebounds.

Crowder has not played this season as the Suns have aimed to trade the two-way forward, but last season, he averaged 9.4 points and 5.3 rebounds.