The Phoenix Suns pulled off a blockbuster trade late Wednesday night (or early Thursday morning on the East Coast), as they reportedly acquired Kevin Durant and TJ Warren from the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and a 2028 pick swap. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the full details of the trade.
The Suns beat the Nets 116-112 on Tuesday in Brooklyn to move 30-26 and currently hold the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.
This marks the second massive deal by the Nets before Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline, as they traded away Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday. Brooklyn’s big experiment with stars has failed, as the franchise has now shipped away James Harden, Irving and Durant in the past 12 months for a roster full of role players. Still, the Nets will wake up Thursday morning with a 32-22 record and as the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Durant is currently sidelined due to an MCL injury he suffered on Jan. 8 and reportedly is expected to return some time after the All-Star break. When he gets back on the floor, he’ll join a stacked Suns squad that mortgaged future draft capital but retained its current core. Bridges and Johnson were key role players, but Durant will be playing alongside point guard Chris Paul, shooting guard Devin Booker and big man Deandre Ayton.
The 34-year-old Durant remains an elite player when available, as he’s averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists while shooting 55.9 percent in 39 games this season. He’s on the hunt for his third ring after winning back-to-back championships with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018.
In 2021, Durant signed a four-year, $194 million extension with the Nets that runs through the 2025-26 season. New Suns owner Mat Ishbia didn’t take long to make a splash after buying the team from disgraced owner Robert Sarver in December.
The trade represents a further power shift in the league, as the Nets have now shipped their two stars out of Brooklyn and to the Western Conference.
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