Sources: Kevin Durant traded to Phoenix Suns in blockbuster move

[19th Hole]

Sources: Kevin Durant traded to Phoenix Suns in blockbuster move
INCENT GOODWILL February 9, 2023, 1:13 AM

The Brooklyn Nets are trading Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns in a blockbuster move, league sources confirmed to Yahoo Sports.

The Suns also will send forward Jae Crowder, who has not played this season after requesting a trade in the offseason, to the Nets, according to reports. Crowder could be part of an additional trade ahead of the deadline at 3 p.m. Thursday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.

Brooklyn will also receive Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, four unprotected first-round draft picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029 and a 2028 pick swap, according toESPN. TJ Warren is headed to Phoenix in the deal, as well.

After the Nets traded Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks over the weekend, Durant reportedly met with Brooklyn's front office to discuss "the direction of the franchise and its ability to be a championship contender." Apparently, those conversations were not fruitful.

Omygod lol
— Mikal Bridges (@mikal_bridges) February 9, 2023

Kevin Durant en route to his preferred destination: Phoenix Suns


Durant requested a trade in the offseason with a strong preference to join the Suns with Chris Paul and Devin Booker. Neither Paul nor Booker have won an NBA title, and the addition of Durant likely would have vaulted them to preseason championship favorites.

When no offers materialized in the summer, Durant rescinded the request before the season began.
Durant is in the first year of a four-year, $194 million extension he signed in August 2021 when the Nets had a Big 3 of Durant, Irving and James Harden. None of them no longer wear a Nets uniform. Harden was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in a package that sent Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn at last year's trade deadline.

Durant played 39 games for the Nets this season before suffering an MCL sprain in his right knee. He is expected to remain sidelined through the All-Star break, so his Suns debut is likely to happen at the end of the month. The Suns' first game after the break is Feb. 24 at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Durant was selected to his 13th All-Star Game as a starter for the Eastern Conference prior to the trade. NBA commissioner Adam Silver is expected to name an injury replacement for him, and others, ahead of the event in Salt Lake City on Feb. 19.




Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant looks on during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Chicago. Chicago won 121-112. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Suns were expected to be active at the trade deadline

Mat Ishbia was confirmed as the Suns' new majority owner by the NBA Board of Governors on Monday night. He was expected to have a major impact on Phoenix's trade negotiations as ousted owner Robert Sarver had stagnated much of the Suns' player movements.
In September, Sarver was suspended for one year and fined $1 million for toxic workplace allegations uncovered in a bombshell report by ESPN a year earlier. Sarver announced his intention to sell the team shortly after the penalties. However, he remained involved in the Suns' player movement decisions until Ishbia took control.



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[unde0087]

NBGAy

[pologq]

Durant joining another very good team. Guy never wants to fight for it as the alpha.

[milwaukee mike]

gotta love the writing of the "diversity hires"... NONE OF THEM NO LONGER WEAR A NETS UNIFORM.

[Allure]

Yet another coward move by Durant. What else is new? I bet his favourite NFL team is whoever wins the Super Bowl this year.

[Brock Landers]

Durant hurt again, when's he going to play?

[Kermit]

So nobody wants to play for the Nets?

[d2bets]

Yet another coward move by Durant. What else is new? I bet his favourite NFL team is whoever wins the Super Bowl this year.

Durant was traded, he didn't make the trade.

Only a good team was going to trade for him, so this particular critique isn't really warranted.

[pologq]

Durant hurt again, when's he going to play?

they say "soon". i bet now he pushes himself back quicker than he would have had he still been on the nets.

[Mr KLC]

Nets did a great job recouping their draft cap capital after this disastrous experiment. They are practically back where they started without Jarrett Allen. This could have been a whole lot worse.

[bigtymer56]

Durant was traded, he didn't make the trade.

Only a good team was going to trade for him, so this particular critique isn't really warranted.

I mean the Nets weren't going to trade him unless he told them he really wanted out.

[milwaukee mike]

Kyrie: I wanna go to the Lakers
Nets: Eh, we’re gonna send you to Dallas.

KD: I wanna go to the Suns
Nets: Yes sir. Right away sir.

Ben Simmons: I wanna go to the—
Nets: Nobody wants you.

[bigtymer56]

Nets did a great job recouping their draft cap capital after this disastrous experiment. They are practically back where they started without Jarrett Allen. This could have been a whole lot worse.

For that draft capital to really matter, they have to hope Phoenix falls apart in the future. Plus they are still stuck with useless Ben Simmons and now the organization rep. has taken a big hit. No big names are going to want sign here after this.

Oh well, hopefully Cam Thomas stays hot and continues to be entertaining for a while.

[Mr KLC]

For that draft capital to really matter, they have to hope Phoenix falls apart in the future. Plus they are still stuck with useless Ben Simmons and now the organization rep. has taken a big hit. No big names are going to want sign here after this.

Oh well, hopefully Cam Thomas stays hot and continues to be entertaining for a while.

Durant and Paul will be history in 3 years. Later picks potentially will have that value they need.

[Allure]

Durant was traded, he didn't make the trade.

Only a good team was going to trade for him, so this particular critique isn't really warranted.

Yeah, agreed however I think he told them he wanted out.

In any case, will be interesting to see how far the Suns can go now.

[mjsuax13]

I’ve seen this tape before. Suns have a 2-3 year window and done. Will end with everybody gone from Phoenix.

[lakerboy]

Durant was traded, he didn't make the trade.

Only a good team was going to trade for him, so this particular critique isn't really warranted.

You think he was telling them no I don't want to be moved?

[pologq]

durant 100% asked for this trade. the nets even admitted it.

jarrett allen is damn good too as a center. shame they had to give him up back then.

[d2bets]

You think he was telling them no I don't want to be moved?

Of course he'd want to be moved and that was the direction Bkn had to head. We don't even know that he demanded the Subs. But oviously whoever took him would do so with an eye on winning now.

[lakerboy]

Durant hurt again, when's he going to play?

The all star game. You think he was going to play in games that matter?

[lakerboy]

Of course he'd want to be moved and that was the direction Bkn had to head. We don't even know that he demanded the Subs. But oviously whoever took him would do so with an eye on winning now.

Sure. His situation didn't exactly get easier though. The West is stacked. If he had any balls and was a man he would have manned up in the East but giving up is a Durant trademark unless it's fighting teenagers on twitter when he goes all in by himself.

[Hugh Madbrough]

I’ve seen this tape before. Suns have a 2-3 year window and done. Will end with everybody gone from Phoenix.

Exactly. The team needed depth and to move CP3's contract. The 4 pillars of the team have been Booker, Ayton, Johnson and Bridges. They cut that in half with no one on the bench being next man up. CP3 and Durant are injury prone. When Booker goes down the team doesn't know what to do except Cameron Payne chucking the ball. Really bad move by the new owner. Suns won't even make the playoffs.

[eidolon]

The dude is a baller, but also super soft

[play4win]

suns for the title. done deal
now some big player has to get traded to east now. west loaded more than ever.

[mjsuax13]

Exactly. The team needed depth and to move CP3's contract. The 4 pillars of the team have been Booker, Ayton, Johnson and Bridges. They cut that in half with no one on the bench being next man up. CP3 and Durant are injury prone. When Booker goes down the team doesn't know what to do except Cameron Payne chucking the ball. Really bad move by the new owner. Suns won't even make the playoffs.

I’m not a fan or mortgaging the future on guys that are so unreliable. Nobody is on that bench.

Somewhere Ben Simmons is talking to his agent about his future.

[play4win]

must been loads of people still bet on the nets to win the championship.
no way other than that to trade kd now.

[shadymcgrady]

Win or lose, this pretty much seals it. Durant will always be remembered as a bus rider not a driver

[Nate rasta]

Durant overrated too skinny

[19th Hole]

[asiagambler]

Of course he'd want to be moved and that was the direction Bkn had to head. We don't even know that he demanded the Subs. But oviously whoever took him would do so with an eye on winning now.

What?? Suns were exactly his first choice team when he requested to be traded over the summer