The Phoenix Suns made a stunning move late Wednesday, acquiring star forward Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets just hours after Mat Ishbia took over as owner.
Durant and T.J. Warren are headed to Phoenix in exchange for Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Jae Crowder and four first-round draft picks, according to reports from The Athletic and ESPN.
The Suns have added a major piece to their roster, signing former Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant to an underachieving squad that currently sits at 30-26, tied for fourth place in the Western Conference. After reaching the NBA Finals in 2020-21, the Suns posted the best regular-season record in 2021-22 before falling to the Dallas Mavericks in the conference semifinals.
Durant’s exit from the Nets marks the end of a much-hyped “Big Three” that was expected to bring glory to Brooklyn. Kyrie Irving signed a free-agent deal with the Nets in July 2021, and Durant joined up as a free agent the next month. When James Harden was acquired in a trade in February 2022, the Nets were viewed as a top contender, but injuries and Irving’s various off-court issues ultimately derailed those hopes. The Nets were swept in the first round of the playoffs last season, and Harden exited as a free agent in July.
Kevin Durant, the 34-year-old 13-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, is having another stellar season. The 2013-14 NBA Most Valuable Player is averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 39 games. Throughout his NBA career with the Seattle SuperSonics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State and Brooklyn, Durant has averaged 27.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists.
Joe Harris’ teammate, forward Jeff Green, has also been traded. Green, 29, played in just 20 games for the Nets after recovering from a foot injury that sidelined him all of last season.
Mikal Bridges, 26, was also part of the trade. Bridges made the NBA All-Defensive team last season and was averaging a career-best 17.2 points plus 4.3 rebounds in 56 games for Phoenix, better than his career marks of 12.2 points and four rebounds.
Jae Crowder, 32, was also included in the trade. Crowder, who hadn’t played this season, has averages of 9.6 points and 4.3 rebounds throughout his NBA career with eight different teams.
Finally, Cameron Johnson, 26, was sent to the Nets.
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday.
In a stunning move, the Phoenix Suns have acquired star forward Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets just hours after Mat Ishbia took over as owner. The Suns sent Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Jae Crowder and four first-round draft picks to the Nets in exchange for Durant and T.J. Warren.
The Suns have made a major move in the NBA trade, acquiring veteran forward T.J. Warren from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for forwards Cameron Johnson, Jae Crowder, and Mikal Bridges. Warren, 29, had been sidelined for the entirety of last season due to a foot injury, but managed to make an impact in the 20 games he played for the Nets this season, averaging 9.5 points and 2.8 rebounds, a far cry from his career averages of 15.1 points and four rebounds. Bridges, 26, had been having a career year for the Suns, averaging 17.2 points and 4.3 rebounds in 56 games, higher than his career averages of 12.2 points and four rebounds. Johnson, 26, was also having a career year for Phoenix, averaging 13.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 17 games (16 starts). His career averages stand at 10.7 points and 3.6 rebounds. Crowder, 32, had not played this season, with the Suns and the forward agreeing he would sit out until he could be traded. He has career averages of 9.6 points and 4.3 rebounds and will now be playing for his eighth NBA team.
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday. With the acquisition of Durant, the Phoenix Suns have made a bold statement that they are ready to compete for a championship.
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