Kevin Durant is nearing a sensational move to the Phoenix Suns and is set to become the latest big name to leave Brooklyn. Durant and T.J. Warren are set to move to the Valley in a blockbuster trade, certain to shock the NBA world to its core.
The picks, in 2023, ’25, ’27 and ’29 are all unprotected. Further, a pick swap will occur between the two franchises. Durant, who requested a trade this offseason, will once more be in the Western Conference having started his career there with the Oklahoma City Thunder before a free agent move to the Golden State Warriors in 2016.
News broke moments after Durant’s former teammate, Kyrie Irving starred in his debut for Dallas. An ESPN report states that Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and four first-round picks will head to Brooklyn in exchange for the duo.
Phoenix currently sit fifth in the Western Conference and have struggled to recapture last season’s form, but with Durant seemingly an imminent addition their fortunes in the regular season and beyond could be liable to drastic change.
Durant’s move to Brooklyn in 2019 brought him to the Eastern Conference but now he will fight against Irving, Nikola Jokic and Ja Morant for supremacy in the West. In less than three seasons in New York, Durant has averaged 29 points, 5.8 assists while shooting 40% from three-point range.
The move signals an end to a very talented albeit wildly unsuccessful era in Brooklyn with James Harden, Irving nor Ben Simmons able to help elevate the Nets anywhere close toward an NBA title.
As a Net, Durant’s best playoff finish was making the 2020-21 Eastern Conference semi-finals, which Brooklyn lost to Milwaukee in seven games. Phoenix play at Atlanta Thursday night before a trip to Indiana the following day. If the deal is to become official, Durant is most likely to debut following the All-Star break.
‘I’m just praying for his happiness and well-being. We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of what our futures would look like.‘We just cared about seeing each other in places we could thrive, whether that be together or apart.
While at the podium following his 24-point debut performance for Dallas, Irving was asked for his thoughts on his friend’s reported trade. ‘I’m glad he got out of there,’ Irving said of his former teammate.
‘I just love the competition now that we can be in the same conference and I welcome all that. Probably playing against Phoenix a lot more, that’s what I’m looking forward to.’ Meanwhile, newest member of the Brooklyn Nets, Mikal Bridges was equally as shocked as the NBA world at the trade news, tweeting ‘Omygod lol.’ shortly after reports surfaced on Twitter.
