Durant already has a new team: Suns

Adrian Wojnarowski said Wednesday that the Suns are already putting the finishing touches on the big trade to bring in Durant.

In exchange for the small forward, the Suns will send Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Jae Crowder, plus four first-round draft picks, to Brooklyn.

Durant’s signing by the Suns, who also get T.J. Warren, marks another pivotal trade in the NBA just four days after Kyrie Irving left the Nets for Luka Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks.

Moreover, this Durant ‘bombshell’ comes just hours after the Los Angeles Lakers, in a three-team trade, traded Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz.

Durant asked Brooklyn to trade him before the start of the season (the Suns already appeared then as prominent suitors) but finally decided to stay, something that has now definitely changed with the recent departure of Irving to Dallas.

The forward, who has been out for a month with a knee injury, is averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game this season.

With Durant’s departure, the Nets no longer have any of the three members of that spectacular trio that threatened to dominate the league: Durant (Suns), Irving (Mavericks) and James Harden (Philadelphia 76ers).

This ambitious and powerful trade by the Suns, who are seeking the first ring in franchise history, is also a last-minute move, as the NBA trade deadline is Thursday, February 9 at 15:00 Eastern Time (20:00 GMT).

NBA Finalists in 2021, the Suns have become one of the top contenders in the West and for the NBA title with Durant, as they have managed to add one of the league’s most important and dominant stars without getting rid of legendary veteran point guard Chris Paul, explosive scorer Devin Booker and proven center DeAndre Ayton.

Phoenix is fifth in the West with a record of 30 wins and 26 losses.

Durant’s arrival to the Suns is reminiscent of his landing in Golden State to play for the iconic Warriors of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

With that team, Durant won his only two rings (2017 and 2018) before leaving in 2019 for Brooklyn, where, with many injuries and controversies in between with the team, his best result was the 2021 East semifinals.

Fifth in the East (32-22), the Nets now seem destined to rebuild their project without any of their stars at the helm.