Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant's time in Brooklyn has ended. The Nets agreed to trade him to the Phoenix Suns, a person with knowledge of the details says.

“We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of what our futures were going to look like,” Irving said. Irving scored 24 points in his Mavs debut against the Clippers on Wednesday. They also played in the finals in 1976 and 1993. They jumped to fifth in the Western Conference with a 30-26 record. Durant was moved just days after the Nets traded Kyrie Irving from Dallas, a stunningly fast end to the superstar era in Brooklyn. The trade comes just hours after new Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia was introduced in Phoenix.

The Brooklyn Nets traded Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns, sending several young players and future draft picks back to Brooklyn for the 13-time All Star, ...

Durant signed with the Nets alongside fellow star Kyrie Irving in the summer of 2019, and Durant missed the entire 2019-20 season due to an achilles injury. Despite sky-high expectations, the Nets never reached a conference, let alone NBA, finals with Durant and Irving, as Durant battled injuries and Irving struggled to stay off the court due to a variety of off-court incidents, including a 2021 suspension over his refusal to receive the Covid-19 vaccine and a suspension earlier this season for promoting antisemitic conspiracies.The Nets traded Irving to the Dallas Mavericks earlier this week. Durant will join All-NBA guards Chris Paul and Devin Booker with the Suns, who are now the odds-on favorite to win the Western Conference. Warren, according to [ESPN](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35620592/phoenix-suns-acquiring-kevin-durant-blockbuster-deal-brooklyn-nets)’s Adrian Wojnarowski and the [Athletic](https://theathletic.com/live-blogs/nba-trade-deadline-latest-news/RiRGvr8UglN4/)’s Shams Charania, while the Nets also received the right to swap 2028 first round picks with the Suns as a cherry on top. [several](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35620592/phoenix-suns-acquiring-kevin-durant-blockbuster-deal-brooklyn-nets) [outlets](https://theathletic.com/live-blogs/nba-trade-deadline-latest-news/RiRGvr8UglN4/) reported early Thursday— capping Durant’s four-season tenure with the Nets that failed to deliver on the hype but swelled the four-time champion’s pockets.

Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant have now both departed the Brooklyn Nets - bringing a disappointing end to what looked to be a fascinating team developing at ...

Irving acknowledged that they did not play much together due to injuries, but believes everything happens for a reason, and is now thankful to be in Dallas with Luka Doncic. Irving had been playing in his Mavericks debut when he became aware of the news, and was asked about the trade after the game. Then during the season, Irving demanded a trade request after being unhappy with his situation, stating that he did not feel respected, and was ultimately dealt to the Dallas Mavericks.

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving suggested late Wednesday night that he and Kevin Durant are in a good place despite the breakup of their partnership ...

Despite having three superstars, the Nets were ousted in the second round of the playoffs that season. They finally got on the court together in 2020-21, and general manager Sean Marks added another huge piece to the equation by acquiring perennial All-Star guard James Harden from the Houston Rockets. Warren to the Phoenix Suns for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and four unprotected first-round picks. Now, Irving and Durant are both in the thick of things in the Western Conference on teams with a legitimate chance to compete for a title. The Irving and Durant era didn't go the way most envisioned in Brooklyn, but they have both come out of it with an opportunity to return to championship glory. There's never been one moment where I felt like he's been angry at me for decisions I've made."

The Nets sent the 13-time All-Star to the Suns in an overnight blockbuster trade.

Kyrie Irving said he is "glad" that Kevin Durant "got out of there" just minutes after ESPN reported the Nets had agreed to trade the former NBA MVP to the ...

I would have liked to see that work for the long term, but there are no mistakes and no coincidences and you gotta move forward. Initially hailed as the core of a superteam that would contend for multiple NBA championships, the trio of Irving, Durant and Harden played just 16 games together in Brooklyn. "I think I would like to say something about the superteam of me, James and KD that everyone thinks should have worked. "We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of what our futures were going to look like. I'm getting a little bit older. "He's getting a little bit older.

The Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets agreed to a blockbuster deal in the early morning hours of NBA trade deadline day that sent shockwaves through the league ...

The implosion of the Nets is one of the strangest stories in NBA history. Irving demanded a trade, and the Nets moved quickly to send him to Dallas. Would the Nets have chosen a deal with more future draft compensation (maybe from the Lakers?) if the knew KD would want out, too? The Suns have never won a championship before, and that is now their mission with KD and Booker. Irving wanted a max contract extension with all guaranteed money, the Nets reportedly wanted to protect themselves in case the NBA’s most unreliable superstar missed more games for who knows what reason. The Suns have two superstars in Durant and Booker, one aging Hall of Fame point guard in Chris Paul, and a talented if sometimes underwhelming young center in Deandre Ayton. The Suns have never had a player of Durant’s caliber in franchise history. Durant wasn’t going to have any star teammates left in Brooklyn if he finished out the season there, but he was going to have a deep team full of shooters and defenders around him. The Suns got a new governor in Mat Ishbia while [Durant had been playing at an MVP-level](https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2023/1/1/23524306/nba-mvp-candidates-ranked-nikola-jokic-luka-doncic-kevin-durant) for the Nets at age-34. Now in Phoenix, Durant has the co-star he craves in Devin Booker, but the supporting cast is looking thin. The Suns started this season 19-12, then went on a prolonged losing streak after Booker went out of the lineup on Christmas. Durant reportedly wanted to go to Phoenix last offseason when he requested a trade from the Nets, and now he finally has his wish.

The Brooklyn Nets granted Kevin Durant's request to be traded to the Phoenix Suns after trying to upgrade their roster around the 13-time All-Star.

They have never won a championship in the 55-year history of the franchise dating back to 1968. Durant suffered a sprained MCL against the Heat that still has him on the shelf. The Nets were able to work things out with Durant and his camp at that time. 8 wound up being a huge pivot point in the Nets' season. Things looked to be going well for the team for a five-week period. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference after a Jan.

The newly acquired All-Star started out strong in his first Mavs game, but also had thoughts on his former teammate's move from Brooklyn.

He tries to play the game the right way by moving and setting screens for his teammates,” Kidd said. “It was pretty easy to tell what he was going after when I was playing with him. “The beauty of Kai is he is all about winning. Irving said he followed the same approach when he played with other star players, including Durant and LeBron James. “I don’t want to force anything on him or do anything that is out of my norm.” He played that tonight with his teammates.” Some of Irving’s teammates said they felt the same way after he told them during Tuesday’s practice and Wednesday’s shootaround “to have fun.” The rest of the Mavericks starting lineup also scored in double figures, including Tim Hardaway Jr. Irving experienced what he called a “long 96 hours” that included little sleep and lots of packing after the Brooklyn Nets “It felt like he’s been here for a while.” “He works on his craft. “I’m just praying for his happiness and praying for his well-being. We’ve just tried to understand each other a lot and grow as human beings and grow as brothers.”

Kyrie Irving, who was dealt to Dallas on Sunday after requesting a trade from the Nets, was asked for his reaction in real-time to the bombshell report that ...

'I just did my best to put my head down and work as hard as I could. 'I think this was in the works, like, after year one. Warren are set to move to the Valley in a blockbuster trade, with Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and four first-round picks heading to Brooklyn in exchange. We just tried to understand each other a lot better and grow as human beings, grow as brothers.' They played together only 16 times - going 13-3 in that stretch. 'We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of, you know, what our future is going to look like.

The Suns will send Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and additional draft compensation to the Nets for Durant, ...

But it seems impossible to replace the firepower they lost with Durant and Irving, two All-Star starters. Bridges was the runner-up to Boston's Marcus Smart last season for the Defensive Player of the Year award and his offensive game continues to grow. "We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of what our futures were going to look like," Irving said. They also played in the finals in 1976 and 1993. They jumped to fifth in the Western Conference with a 30-26 record. James Harden was traded at last year's deadline, leaving the Nets with little to show for the brief time they had the Big Three together.

Durant is joining his fourth NBA team. He has made more than $700 million, including endorsements, since he was drafted in 2007.

The Nets lost more money than any NBA team during the 2021-22 season and were trending that way again this season with a $100+ million luxury tax bill. The four-time scoring champ has endorsements deals with Nike, NBA 2K, Coinbase, Dapper Labs, Call of Duty, Weedmaps and FanDuel. The Suns’ revenue was $300 million during the 2021-22 season and ranked 18th in the league, according to Sportico’s NBA With Durant and Irving off the payroll, the tax for the Nets will now be liable for less than $40 million. His venture capital arm with business partner Rich Kleiman, 35V, has more than 75 investments, including sports-oriented ones such as The Suns’ total player costs, including salaries, luxury tax and benefits, should top $250 million this season and, barring a trip to the NBA Finals, will trigger a steep operating loss. And the Clippers—controlled by the NBA’s richest owner, Steve Ballmer (net worth: $95 billion)—are building a new arena, Intuit Dome, that will push their revenue into the NBA’s top five. The Suns are currently fifth in the Western Conference standings, sitting just four games above .500. [ranks](https://www.sportico.com/leagues/basketball/2022/nbas-highest-paid-players-lebron-curry-kd-300m-in-2022-23-1234691281/) as the third highest-paid player in the league this season, including more than $40 million off the court. He Can we do things to make sure of that, but I’m not just a short-term thinker. It is a huge financial commitment for Ishbia, who is worth $6 billion, according to Bloomberg.

The star forward was meant to be the cornerstone of Joe Tsai's Brooklyn Nets, but now he'll join the Phoenix Suns and new owner Mat Ishbia.

The blockbuster trade brings a clean slate to both KD and Phoenix.

Here is a timeline of the Durant era in Brooklyn.

Kyrie Irving got his wish to be traded out of Brooklyn, and he said he's glad fellow superstar Kevin Durant followed him out the door.

André Snellings and Eric Moody break down what the trades of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook mean from a fantasy perspective, and look at the other ...

[Josh Hart](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3062679/josh-hart) joins the Knicks and is reunited with former Villanova teammate [Jalen Brunson](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3934672/jalen-brunson) in New York. If you recall, he was traded from the Raptors to the Spurs in 2018 as part of the [Kawhi Leonard](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6450/kawhi-leonard) trade. [Cameron Payne](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3064230/cameron-payne), [Landry Shamet](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3914044/landry-shamet), [T.J. [Lonzo Ball](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066421/lonzo-ball) this season due to a knee injury that has kept him off the court since Jan. The veteran out of Ohio State has averaged 7.7 APG, a career high, and Gobert set an on-ball screen for Conley 21.9 times per game last season, second only to [Chris Paul](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2779/chris-paul) and [Deandre Ayton](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4278129/deandre-ayton). [Kyrie Irving](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6442/kyrie-irving) moving to the [Dallas Mavericks](/nba/team/_/name/dal/dallas-mavericks) earlier in the week and [Kevin Durant](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3202/kevin-durant) and [Russell Westbrook](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3468/russell-westbrook) both dealt on Wednesday. [Rudy Gobert](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3032976/rudy-gobert) in Minnesota and should slot into the starting point guard role. [Kevin Durant](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3202/kevin-durant), [T.J. O'Neale and Finney-Smith are role players both in the NBA and in fantasy, but Johnson still has achievable upside with his ability to knock down shots. None of the other Nets are high-usage guys, and in fact their frontcourt is comprised almost entirely of defense-first players that can either stretch the floor or finish at the rim but that don't create for themselves. Ayton could be the Suns player that sees the biggest drop in his fantasy status with this move. For the second time in half-a-week, we're in this space talking about the Nets giving up an All-NBA player for a package of productive younger players and draft picks.

Kevin Durant's partnership with close friend Kyrie Irving came to an end with their respective trades to Phoenix and Dallas this week, but the two could ...

Irving had four rebounds and five assists in 37 minutes of what amounted to a dress rehearsal before Doncic returns to give the Mavs a powerhouse backcourt. Early in the fourth, Irving fouled Paul George. He was part of a 13-0 spurt early in the game, scoring eight points on a jumper and back-to-back 3-pointers. It's the first time I ever got traded in the middle of the season, so it was new for me, but I'm excited that I'm here.' 'It felt good to get this debut out of the way,' Irving said. But while Durant is signed through the 2025-26 season, Irving can be a free agent this summer, when Chris Paul's $30 million salary is only partially guaranteed.

Kyrie Irving has blasted Brooklyn Nets after trade of Kevin Durant to Phoenix Suns.

[Brooklyn Nets](/topic/brooklyn-nets)made a deal to send Kevin [Durant](/topic/durant)to the [Phoenix Suns](/topic/phoenix-suns)shortly after his departure has revealed a lot. The Brooklyn Nets have had a difficult time in recent years, a franchise in dire need of success after assembling two 'super-teams' that have been huge disappointments. Irving spoke about the 'super-team' he formed with Durant and James Harden, who was also traded away following a tumultuous period with the team. As a result, Durant was traded to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night, and in both moves, the Nets obtained several first-round draft picks and young players. During his first game with the Mavericks, Irving learned of Durant's trade, and was later questioned about it after the game. However, what transpired were several years of disappointment, as both players battled with injuries, particularly Irving who missed a substantial amount of time, and the team was plagued by high-profile trade failures.

Fans, fellow NBA athletes and the mayor of Phoenix all took to social media to voice their reactions. "That is insane," one fan, Joe Brooks, told NPR.

For those that want one, the NBA will send a free placement to customers who purchased a jersey shortly after a player switched teams, [per its store policy.](https://store.nba.com/jersey-assurance/x-143713+z-91829756-2442190644) But not everyone is upset by the news: Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego shared her approval of the trade. "Can't even go to sleep early anymore this time of the year," C.J. The Suns will be the fourth NBA franchise for the 34-year-old Durant, who previously played for the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder and the Golden State Warriors. [to the Dallas Mavericks. The Brooklyn Nets traded Durant, along with forward, T.J.

One of the most exciting NBA trade deadlines in history had fans scrambling to keep up. The Brooklyn Nets made the first big splash by sending Kyrie Irving ...

One of the most interesting storylines during the final day was the constant movement of second-round picks.
After all the dealing, @DKSportsbook has the Celtics as still the favorites to win the title this year at +350, but the Suns leapt up to the No. 2 spot, going from +1800 to +425 post Durant trade.

The blockbuster trade gives both KD and Phoenix a clean slate.

The Lakers and Raptors were both expected to be active players given the reporting that led up to Thursday, but the Nets blew all previous—and likely future— ...

The Suns will send Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and additional draft compensation to the Nets for Durant, ...

But it seems impossible to replace the firepower they lost with Durant and Irving, two All-Star starters. Bridges was the runner-up to Boston's Marcus Smart last season for the Defensive Player of the Year award and his offensive game continues to grow. "We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of what our futures were going to look like," Irving said. They also played in the finals in 1976 and 1993. They jumped to fifth in the Western Conference with a 30-26 record. James Harden was traded at last year's deadline, leaving the Nets with little to show for the brief time they had the Big Three together.

In a blockbuster trade, the Phoenix Suns have acquired Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, the NBA teams announced Thursday.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to building the team Brooklyn deserves.” On Thursday, the Nets traded Crowder to the Milwaukee Bucks. Durant was under contract with the Nets through the 2025-26 season – though he to the Valley as we build a championship culture both on and off the court. On Sunday, the team traded The Nets will receive Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and a 2028 pick swap to Brooklyn, the Suns said.

The Nets reportedly will receive Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, 4 first-round draft picks and a pick swap for Kevin Durant and T.J. Warren.

They also played in the Finals in 1976 and 1993. They jumped to fifth in the Western Conference with a 30-26 record. “We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of what our futures were going to look like,” Irving said. The Suns made the Finals two seasons ago, but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. Irving scored 24 points in his Mavs debut against the Clippers on Wednesday. The trade comes just hours after new Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia was introduced in Phoenix.

In Kyrie Irving's mind, setting ablaze the fabric of the Nets was beyond his control. In reality, Brooklyn's gravest mistake was holding Irving accountable.

In his career, Kevin Durant has switched teams three times. The first time he did it, he assembled one of the best basketball teams in history and the ...

Uncertainty surrounds what the Suns would have given up in exchange for him, but the Nets now essentially own all of their tradeable assets. The Atlanta Hawks' power forward John Collins was a target for the Suns, and they were prepared to make a change. Durant will now join the [Phoenix Suns](https://www.marca.com/en/basketball/nba/phoenix-suns.html) after four dissapointing seasons. The Rockets are just one misfortune away from having the most valuable collection of basketball draft picks. Besides the Nets and the Suns, who else is likely to be most impacted by this trade? The first time he did it, he assembled one of the best basketball teams in history and the [Warriors](https://www.marca.com/en/basketball/nba/golden-state-warriors.html)went on to win two championships.

Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams said that the addition of Kevin Durant has provided a 'jolt' to the organization.

"We got to get a rhythm, we got to understand how we can play together -- Kevin can play with anybody. I think that's the thing, I get it, it's definitely exciting -- but there's a lot that goes into this stuff, man. Now the Suns will have to build a new part of their family with Durant at the center of everything. "We got a chance to be really good," Williams said. I think we got punched in the face so many times where we've adapted and accepted to where, we've accepted adversity, it helped build confidence to where we've been in situations where a team threw everything at us to stop us even though we didn't have the right pieces on the court ... And KD, he just love to hoop. I think that's what brought me and Book closer together because he just love to hoop. "So you add him to the daggone who is that that the Harlem Globetrotters play against all the time? Where we're at, especially at the start of the season, we lost a few games and we seen what it's like. I think the guys are going to see something that they may not have seen before as far as his approach and how much he just loves to play basketball. "I think if he could hoop every day, 24/7 he would do that and I think that's who we are. Just because of, not just who he is as a player, but his love for the game.

Kevin Durant leaves the Brooklyn Nets just two days after the organisation traded Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks; Durant joins Devin Booker and Chris ...

He was averaging 29.7 points and shooting a career-high 55.9% from the field when he was hurt Jan. Bridges was the runner-up to Boston's Marcus Smart last season for the Defensive Player of the Year award and his offensive game continues to grow. He was moved just days after the Nets traded Kyrie Irving from Dallas, a stunningly fast end to the superstar era in Brooklyn. They also played in the finals in 1976 and 1993. The Suns made the NBA Finals two seasons ago, but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. "We remain steadfast in our commitment to building the team Brooklyn deserves," general manager Sean Marks said in a statement.

Nets general manager Sean Marks addressed the media for the first time since the team's overnight blockbuster trade of Kevin Durant.

Warren](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/tj-warren-te6am5kOZ0yFvULt/) was also part of the Durant deal for a package that included [Mikal Bridges](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/mikal-bridges-dmZgViDJ3He5ZrQp/), [Jae Crowder](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/jae-crowder-0vLcUgtCxJK833Re/), Cam Johnson, four first-round picks and additional draft compensation going to the Nets. So, you know, the additions that we have made to the team over this last week. “I’m excited,” Marks said. “I wish nothing but the best for both of them, their families and so forth,” he said. I mean, we have guys in that room that I’m extremely proud of and they’re going to compete. But again, I look back and we’ve done a lot of thinking and soul searching on this and we said, well, you know, we did everything we possibly could, you know, to maximize this organization’s potential, to have ourselves in the conversation for a championship, and that’s all we’ve done, and we’ve shown that we’ve built this team up twice.” So there’s a lot of emotions that are running through a lot of people’s heads if I’m going to be brutally honest.” Marks discussed the future of the franchise and its past, saying in part, “It didn’t work,” when asked whether he considered Brooklyn’s era featuring Durant and Kyrie Irving, who was [traded Monday to the Mavericks,](https://theathletic.com/4158190/2023/02/05/nets-trade-kyrie-irving/) a failure for the Nets. The [Nets then sent Crowder to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team deal with the Pacers](https://theathletic.com/4172825/2023/02/09/jae-crowder-trade-nba-nets-bucks/), The Athletic reported Thursday. They come with a lot of thought, a lot of process, a lot of systematic debriefs and discussions that go along with that. You know, it’ll linger here with many of our guys for sure for a long time.” “It’s always difficult when you’re trading a player of that stature and that ilk; very difficult,” Marks said.

The NBA trade deadline had plenty of league-shifting trades as Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook will finish the 2022-23 season with a ...

The Durant move ended the "Big Three" era of the Nets, who sent James Harden to Philadelphia a year ago and traded star guard Kyrie Irving to Dallas earlier ...

Three-time Olympic gold medallist Durant expected to make Suns debut after the All-Star break due to knee injury.

[Chris Paul](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/chris-paul) and [Devin Booker](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/devin-booker) in Phoenix with Bahamian centre DeAndre Ayton also in a star-studded roster. [Luka Doncic](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/luka-doncic) cheering from the bench - scoring 24 points in the victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. [Kevin Durant](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/kevin-durant) joined the Phoenix Suns from the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday (9 February) just before the end of the 2023 NBA trade deadline.

The acquisition of D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt is the Lakers' major attempt to fix the Russell Westbrook trade — and their ...

Also, John Collins is still in Atlanta, and Gary Payton II returns to Golden State.

[Kyle Lowry](/nba/players/1113164/kyle-lowry/) at the 2021 trade deadline when his contract was set to expire over the summer and just about everyone thought he would be dealt, and they did it again on Thursday. But he's healthy now, and he's going to help the Warriors immensely. It was tough to see him go last summer, but he had earned the $26 million payday the Blazers gave him, and the Warriors didn't want to spend what it would cost in salary and taxes to match the offer. [John Collins](/nba/players/2842788/john-collins/) still in Atlanta He was a tough trade when Travis Schlenk was pulling the strings. Durant and Irving hijacked a lot of the attention, potentially shifting plans league-wide, and Toronto, as usual, was unwilling to compromise even a little bit on a deal. They had a basket of guys believed to be on the block -- On the other hand, they also have the Bird rights to sign Russell and/or Beasley if they see either of them as building blocks, with their 2023 pick (swap with New Orleans) and 2029 pick to further solidify the roster. Now, at the deadline, to get this kind of return for just the one pick was, to me, pretty surprising. [NBA](/nba/) continues to be out-of-its-mind wild. The 2023 NBA trade deadline has come and gone, and now we get to evaluate all that has happened. Leading up to the middle-of-the-night bombshell, all reporting had indicated that Durant was going to stay in Brooklyn.

The praise keeps coming in for the Phoenix Suns' trade for Kevin Durant at the 2023 NBA trade deadline.

Paul–Devin Booker–Durant is the best trio in the West, and the Suns should be the unequivocal favorites to come out of the conference. With an MVP-level player on the roster, the Suns can become the biggest threat not only in the West but in the entire league." [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). The Suns will get four playoff runs with him at a time when there has never been more parity in the league. Jeff Zillgitt writes: "Nearly 36 hours after assuming controlling interest in the Phoenix Suns, owner Mat Ishbia, the CEO and chairman of United Wholesale Mortgage, stunned the league, acquiring Kevin Durant from Brooklyn for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and four first-round picks. Marginal upgrades made by the competition (Luke Kennard is a fascinating supplementary pickup for the Grizzlies) feel futile when you zoom out and consider Durant’s new situation. What’s inarguable, though, is that nobody is going to be particularly excited about the prospect of dealing with Durant, Booker and Paul in a seven-game series. Michael Pina writes: "If they aren’t the favorite, they are the proverbial team nobody wants to face. A foursome of Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton is as formidable as any in the league, and even though the trade depleted their depth, they still have capable, experienced role players like Torrey Craig, Cam Payne, Damion Lee and Landry Shamet." The Suns still have some draft capital available to them for future moves, although they’ll have to work on the fringes." Can this team remain healthy during the latter portion of the season and into the playoffs?" The Suns now have a top 4 of KD, Booker, Deandre Ayton, and Chris Paul.

Phoenix Suns point guard and future Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Paul is eagerly anticipating the arrival of new teammate Kevin Durant. After the Suns...

The competitive nature of the conference compelled them to make a go-for-it move, however. And KD, he just love to hoop. I think that's what brought me and Book closer together because he just love to hoop. After the Suns acquired Durant and T.J. Durant may be just the player to put them over the top since he is one of the greatest scorers of all time and has been dominant again this season when healthy. Just to know how he approaches the game, his nickname's Easy Money, just somebody who loves the game like that.

Kevin Durant wanted a new team where he can just play ball and win. Wait. Haven't we heard that one before?

[burning sage ](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kyrie-irving-explains-why-he-burned-sage-around-td-garden-court-prior-to-nets-preseason-game-against-celtics/)in the middle of Atlantic Avenue. It ended ingloriously this week when Irving demanded a trade, and the Nets [found a sucker in Dallas](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/02/05/kyrie-irving-trade-dallas-mavericks/?itid=lk_inline_manual_37). And a [void to fill.](https://nba.nbcsports.com/2018/03/30/kevin-durant-i-thought-championship-would-fill-void-but-it-didnt/) I just wanted to play ball and go to the crib and chill. [Monty Williams](https://hoopshabit.com/2022/11/03/phoenix-suns-scorching-start/), a Popovich-lite coach just like Kerr. His wasn’t the look of joy. This winding odyssey started when Durant became a free agent during the summer that shifted the league, back in 2016. Durant will have a similar situation in Phoenix with Chris Paul, Devin Booker and head coach Who could really blame Durant for wanting to break up with Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder? That one was a little too busy being the Instead of putting up MVP numbers for one franchise, in a stable situation, he’s spending the final segment of his Hall of Fame career wandering the league as some sort of hoop handyman offering his services on Thumbtack. He’ll be able to catch dimes from an all-time great point guard and share buckets alongside one of the best shooters in the league.

Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald is very familiar with the Phoenix Suns. What does he think of the Kevin Durant trade?

[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). We'll get to see the rest of this season. "But, when you get the opportunity to have a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Olympian, all-time greats in Kevin Durant, a walking, talking bucket, you put him with Book and you know a point god like Chris Paul and a great big man in Deandre (Ayton). [NBA trade grades](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2023/02/09/kevin-durant-trade-grades-grading-phoenix-suns-brooklyn-nets-deal/69887859007/), [NBA trade winners lists](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2023/02/10/kevin-durant-trade-makes-phoenix-suns-nba-trade-deadline-winner/69891763007/) and [NBA trade reactions](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2023/02/09/phoenix-suns-kevin-durant-trade-reaction-brooklyn-nets-stuns-nba/69888092007/). "They are two terrific young players and I think they are both continuing to ascend. [Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2023/02/09/phoenix-suns-fans-mikal-bridges-cam-johnson-kevin-durant-trade/69888482007/) in the deal with the Brooklyn Nets.

Brooklyn has made no mention of Irving since before the trade with Dallas.

New NBA power rankings offer insight about what NBA writers think about the future of the Phoenix Suns this season.

8 in NBA power ranking 6 in NBA power ranking 5 in NBA power ranking 3 in NBA power ranking 2 in NBA power ranking [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). Even though losing Mikal Bridges was a big blow for their defense and KD will be in the sidelines for a little longer, they’re now legit contenders." And given the general parity in the West and the amount of time left in the season, Phoenix catching the Memphis Grizzlies for second place in the conference doesn't feel out of the question." Take note that they also did so while managing to keep Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and Deandre Ayton. Ian Levy writes: "They landed Kevin Durant and kept Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton. Kevin O'Connor writes: "The Suns added some guy named Kevin Durant, giving them a higher ceiling than they had even when they made the Finals two years ago. Warren forms a projected starting five of Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Durant, Warren and Deandre Ayton."

In the race for supremacy in the Western Conference, the Memphis Grizzlies made an all-in attempt to acquire Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets.

Anunoby, but the Raptors "wanted a high-level player or prospect" in addition to picks for the 25-year-old. According to Lowe, they offered three first-round picks to the Toronto Raptors for O.G. Phoenix's ability to include a talented young player like Bridges might also have given it a leg up over the Grizzlies.

Phoenix jumped into the top tier of contenders after it acquired Kevin Durant in a blockbuster deal. Plus, see where the rest of the league stands now.

Before trading Kevin Durant, the Brooklyn Nets explored deals they hoped would convince the 13-time All-Star to stay with the team.

"They tried to get Pascal Siakam now in the intervening 96 hours because KD made it known he likes Pascal Siakam," Lowe said. Those trades also landed them seven draft picks and a pick swap. They brought in Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson. The 28-year-old is averaging a career-high 25.0 points per game in 46 starts this season. [Adrian Wojnarowski](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35620592/phoenix-suns-acquiring-kevin-durant-blockbuster-deal-brooklyn-nets), Durant and his business manager, Rich Kleiman, told Nets governor Joe Tsai and general manager Sean Marks his preference was to be traded to the Suns. Lowe also said Nets management went to Durant and said they "can get some big names" in the offseason.