Posted on 02/09/2023 12:53:40 AM PST by conservative98
The Phoenix Suns are acquiring 13-time NBA All-Star Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski early Thursday.
Phoenix is sending Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and a 2028 pick swap to Brooklyn, according to sources. The picks, in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029, are unprotected.
The Suns are also getting forward T.J. Warren in the trade, sources said.
Durant wanted the move and new Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia pushed to get a deal done ahead of Thursday's NBA trade deadline.
The Nets are expected to explore trade scenarios for Crowder ahead of the 3 p.m. ET deadline, sources told ESPN.
After the Nets traded Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks at the beginning of the week, Durant had been engaged in conversations with Nets owner Joe Tsai and general manager Sean Marks on the direction of the franchise and its ability to be a championship contender, ESPN reported Tuesday.
Sources told ESPN then that the Nets insisted to Durant and inquiring teams that the organization had no intention of moving him prior to the Thursday deadline.
Ishbia has been fully engaged in overseeing the Suns operation and aggressive in pursuing ways to make a major and immediate impact. Durant joins a starting lineup that already includes an All-Star backcourt of Chris Paul and Devin Booker, along with center Deandre Ayton.
Entering Wednesday, the Suns were 18-1 to win the NBA championship, per Caesars Sportsbook. They are now +525 to win it all, the second-shortest odds in the NBA and shortest among Western Conference teams.
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.com ...
Kyrie Irving reacts to the Kevin Durant trade:
“I’m just glad he got out of there.”
(Via @townbrad ) pic.twitter.com/KDrbjKCTWF— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) February 9, 2023
I haven’t had any interest in professional sports since the commie Left took over. And Durant is especially despicable.
The Suns got Durant without having to touch their core of Devin Booker, Chris Paul and DeAndre Ayton. And Durant is just starting on a new contract. The Suns are going to be a problem for the next few years, and have to be the favorites from the Western Conference this year.
I don’t follow basketball, but I can look up the guy’s name. He’ll be 35 in September. Did the NBA institute a designated-hitter rule, or did the acquiring team just decide to clear the bench and start over again?
“Did the NBA institute a designated-hitter rule, or did the acquiring team just decide to clear the bench and start over again?”
Had to drop salaries to accommodate Durant’s. Those first round draft choices are going to cost a lot. Looks like Phoenix is going to mortgage their future for a ring this year or next.
Utterly horrible. Paul is done.
Bridges was playing at an all-star level and getting better by the game. Cam Johnson was still recovering from a knee-—when he was 6th man last year he was a terror. And first round picks?
Knee-grow please. And on top of that you have two starters who need the ball to be effective, while losing one of the top defenders in the game. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Irving looked pretty good in his Mavs debut.
But Luka didn’t play, so I’m still skeptical if those two will play well together.
Yeah, I thought the Mavs lacked D, not more scoring.
Same thing here. We needed more firepower off the bench, and now we lost major defense. I feel bad for both Bridges and Cam Johnson who were extremely popular here. Johnson was just coming into his own when they moved Crowder, put him in the starting lineup, which threw him off (playing against 1st stringers). But it also is a different rhythm.
Either way, Suns won’t win a championship this season. Ayton was the guy they needed to move.
I agree that this is a stupid trade. I feel bad for Bridges who has developing into a very good all around player with a promising future. I can’t believe the Suns let him go. He is also a fine young man who deserves better than to be sent to the dysfunctional Nets.
Did Durant win a championship alongside Hardin and Westbrook in OK?
He did all right in GS cuz they are stocked top to bottom with great players.
In Brooklyn, even with Irving and Simmons, nada.
Check back with me after the playoffs. I think the Suns exit in the first round now.
I’m rooting for the Sacramento Kings.
I think he was better than a good all around player. I think he is, along with Booker, one of those rare people who seems to get better almost every year. You don’t find two-way players any more.
Spurs have a young Polish rookie that looks like he’s going to be a star: Jeremy Sochan. Sabonis from the Kings just made the All Star game. He might end up being better than his dad. At least as an NBA player.
If his dad played in the NBA in his prime, he would have been the GOAT.
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