Brooklyn Nets superstar forward Kevin Durant is headed to Phoenix. Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that the Nets have traded Durant to the Suns in exchange for four first-round picks, Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, and a 2028 pick swap.
The Nets are trading Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns for a package including Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, four first-round picks and additional draft compensation, league sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. https://t.co/fJoFHv3i7M
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 9, 2023
The blockbuster deal comes less than a week after Brooklyn dealt fellow superstar Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, effectively beginning a full-blown rebuild for the Nets.
Ironically, the Suns were reportedly Durant’s preferred destination when the 34-year-old requested a trade this past offseason (eventually rescinded).
Durant, who’s averaging 29.7 PPG, immediately vaults Phoenix into title contention as he joins forces with stars Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and DeAndre Ayton. The Suns now hold the third-best odds to capture the 2023 NBA Championship at +460 per FanDuel Sportsbook.
Fans will have to wait to see Durant in a Phoenix uniform as he continues to recover from a sprained MCL, but once cleared, Monty Williams’s group will be challenging to stop.
