Kevin Durant traded to Phoenix Suns in blockbuster move - Yahoo Sports

Sources: Kevin Durant traded to Phoenix Suns in blockbuster move
Vincent Goodwill
VINCENT GOODWILL
Thu, Feb 9, 2023, 1:13 AM EST

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

The Nets are expected to get a package of players and draft compensation in the deal. 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.

Brooklyn will also receive Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, four first-round draft picks and a 2028 pick swap, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. 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.

Durant requested a trade in the offseason, but when no offers materialized, he rescinded the request before the season began. He is currently out with an MCL sprain and is unlikely to play before the All-Star break.

https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-kevin-durant-traded-to-phoenix-suns-in-blockbuster-move-060826326.html

https://www.si.com/nba/magic/news/breaking-kevin-durant-traded-phoenix-suns-ending-brooklyn-nets-big-3

BREAKING: Kevin Durant Traded to Suns, Ending Nets 'Big 3'
The Brooklyn Nets make another massive deadline day deal, trading Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns.

JEREMY BRENER15 MINUTES AGO

The NBA is experiencing a massive shift just before the NBA Trade Deadline.

According to ESPN, the Phoenix Suns are acquiring Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and four first-round picks. The Suns are also expected to trade the Nets more draft capital.

After the Nets traded Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, team officials had conversations with Durant regarding the future of the team. It appears that either the front office and/or Durant had reservations about the foreseeable future of the team and ultimately led to the deal.

Less than 48 hours after Suns governor Mat Ishbia was approved by the Board of Governors, he makes a massive splash acquiring one of the league's top players and putting Phoenix back in contention.

The Nets try to regain some of their draft capital back after dealing it all to the Houston Rockets in the trade to acquire James Harden back in January 2021.

After trying to form a 'Big 3' of sorts with Irving, Durant and Harden, the Nets' experiment to build the league's best super team has ended in failure as the team only won one playoff series together.

https://nypost.com/2023/02/09/nets-trading-kevin-durant-to-suns-at-nba-trade-deadline/

Nets trading Kevin Durant to Suns in NBA trade deadline blockbuster - New York Post

By Brian Lewis
February 9, 2023 1:21am Updated

The Nets agreed to trade superstar Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns in a seismic blockbuster that will reshape the power structure in the NBA — and send Brooklyn back into a rebuild.

The news was first reported by ESPN, and has been confirmed by The Post.

The Nets also are sending veteran forward T.J. Warren to the Suns, and receiving Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and a 2028 pick swap. They’ll get unprotected picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029.

After James Harden had engineered a trade to Philadelphia at last year’s trade deadline and Kyrie Irving demanded a move last week and was dealt to Dallas, now Durant is the third superstar to force his way out of Brooklyn in less than 12 months. What was supposed to be a superteam has now become one of the biggest disappointments in the history of the league.

This move had been percolating since Irving — who arrived with Durant as a package deal in 2019 — demanded a trade on Friday, and was shipped to the Dallas Mavericks two days later. But the seeds were sown during last season’s disappointing campaign, which ended in a first-round playoff sweep at the hands of the Boston Celtics.

When Durant sprained his MCL last season, the Nets went 5-16. His concern over that capitulation and lack of fight during his absence prompted a June trade request, with the Suns one of his preferred landing spots (along with Miami).

Durant didn’t rescind that request until after an August sit-down in Los Angeles with Nets general manager Sean Marks and Nets team owner Joe Tsai. But it turned out to be just a temporary reprieve for the Nets.

Since spraining his other MCL on Jan. 8 in Miami, Durant has watched the Nets go 5-9 and deal Irving. Now he has followed his friend out the door. And with new Suns owner Mat Ishbia pushing hard to get deal done before Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline, Durant finally got what he wanted.

Having overseen the collapse of this superteam that never was, now Marks will have to answer some tough questions going forward.

The absolute best part of this, as far as I am concerned, is all the Nets fans were laughing at us because they "stole" Kyrie away from us, and then landed KD,  and expected a new dynasty based in Brooklyn.  They are now right back in the shitter.

Karma's a bitch, and she's not shy about reminding you of it.


Bob


.

bobheckler wrote:The absolute best part of this, as far as I am concerned, is all the Nets fans were laughing at us because they "stole" Kyrie away from us, and then landed KD,  and expected a new dynasty based in Brooklyn.  They are now right back in the shitter.

Karma's a bitch, and she's not shy about reminding you of it.


Bob


.

Just like when they "stole" KG and Pierce from us for a bunch of draft picks ten years ago and expected to win multiple titles from that. "Who cares about those draft picks?" they said.

I'm going to predict there will be some front office news in BKN very soon (or by the end of the season) about another vacancy coming available.  After fumbling away the geese that laid the golden egg, you kinda don't get a second chance.  Top management may wait until the off-season, but this team will be making a whistling sound as it goes by the East teams in the standings and may not even make the playoffs.  That would be the just dessert and best medicine for BKN.  The rest of us will take a heaping helping of that other best medicine...laughter.  Pity laughter, that is.  Quickly followed by gut-busting laughter.  The two worst kinds.        

The even funnier thing is, now with both Durant and KI out West, I can now predict with 100% accuracy that potentially only one of their respective teams will reach the Finals.  (OK, that was easy!!)  I can now also predict with 100% accuracy that neither team will be there this year under the Grass Is Never Greener Law although now coming from Ground Zero, anything will look like an improvement, but alas we kid ourselves.

All KI and KD did was get ever so much closer to Sacramento all in about a 48 hour span.  Writing is clearly on that wall.

Well maybe now BKN can get rid of that "BS" contract given those two are gone.  Anybody want a guy with a huge contract that refuses to score and can't shoot free throws?!  Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? I didn't think so.  Maybe he can become the next Dennis Rodman.  I hope he finds himself and someone can unlock him.  It may be too late.  He may be off to Never, Neverland. It's going to take even more time to wash the stink off with all this heaped on his back.    

So I was two years off looking like a crazy man screaming from the rooftops.  Oh well.  I could have saved you knuckleheads in BKN all the heartache you are experiencing now if only you had just listened!!

I tried to tell ya,

db