Kevin Durant

NBA superstar Kevin Durant has caused a huge shock in sport by leaving Brooklyn Nets for the Phoenix Suns in a blockbuster trade, and Kyrie Irving has given ...

The Nets had acquired Durant and Irving in 2019, but the star assets have left four years later with the franchise left to ponder their underachievement with two of the biggest talents in NBA. I’m just glad he got out of there. The Nets agreed to trade Durant to the ambitious Suns at the eleventh hour in exchange for a number of players and first-round picks.

With Durant taking center stage once he gets back from his recent MCL injury, it's not a stretch to see the Suns making the NBA Finals like they did in 2021 ...

The Phoenix Suns are reportedly sending Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and five draft picks to Brooklyn Nets for Kevin Durant and TJ Warren.

“He’s a great example for a lot of young guys, our guys and a lot of young guys in the league to one, have the temperament and the patience to play the way he does and develop and let the game come to him,” Casey continued. Durant and Suns guard Damion Lee were teammates in Golden State in the 2018-19 season. “I am incredibly grateful to Grant Hill and Coach Kerr, both for giving me the opportunity to be an assistant coach and for their understanding of my decision.” I want the group in the locker room to want to win. Before playing Tuesday in Brooklyn, Johnson talked about his love for Phoenix, but also addressed the idea of Ishbia making a major move to begin his tenure as team owner. “You wouldn’t have said he’d be able to run pick-and-rolls and start the offense or be a quasi point guard for their team when he first came into the league, but he’s grown into that. Durant, 34, wanted out of Brooklyn last summer as he put Phoenix atop his wish list, but the Nets and Suns were unable to get a deal done. The Suns and Nets finished their home-away series Tuesday as Phoenix won, 116-112, in Brooklyn to complete the regular-season sweep. Durant is currently out with a sprained right MCL and isn’t expected to return to action until after the All-Star break. Crowder has yet to play a game this season with the Suns (30-26) as the two sides “mutually agreed” he wouldn’t attend training camp. He scored 17 points against the Suns in Tuesday’s loss in Brooklyn. The Suns are trading four first round picks, a pick swap, Jae Crowder, Bridges and Johnson for Durant and T.J.

Mikal Bridges, Tyrese Haliburton and many more reacted to the Brooklyn Nets reportedly dealing Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns.

The Nets [reportedly](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35609586/sources-kevin-durant-nets-talking-franchise-direction) were focused on retooling the roster around the two-time Finals MVP ahead of Thursday's 3 p.m. [Kyrie Irving trade](https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/nba-rumors-nets-trade-kyrie-irving-mavericks-blockbuster-deal?chrcontext=WNBC). The Western Conference suddenly looks much tougher than it did a week ago. [Brooklyn Nets](https://www.nbcnewyork.com/tag/brooklyn-nets/) and Phoenix Suns [reportedly struck a stunning blockbuster](https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/nba-rumors-kevin-durant-traded-suns-nets-blockbuster-deal?chrcontext=WNBC) that will send Durant out West. Here were some of the best reactions on Twitter from fans, players -- including Mikal Bridges -- and others to the shocking deal. [NBA Twitter stunned as Suns reportedly land Kevin Durant](https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/nba-twitter-stunned-nets-reportedly-trade-kevin-durant-suns?cid=Yahoo&partner=ya4nbcs&chrcontext=WNBC) originally appeared on [NBC Sports Boston](https://www.nbcsports.com/boston?cid=MSN&chrcontext=WNBC)

PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns pulled a midnight blockbuster on Wednesday, acquiring 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, according to ...

The newly acquired All-Star started out strong in his first Mavs game, but also had thoughts on his former teammate's move from Brooklyn.

He tries to play the game the right way by moving and setting screens for his teammates,” Kidd said. “It was pretty easy to tell what he was going after when I was playing with him. “The beauty of Kai is he is all about winning. Irving said he followed the same approach when he played with other star players, including Durant and LeBron James. “I don’t want to force anything on him or do anything that is out of my norm.” He played that tonight with his teammates.” Some of Irving’s teammates said they felt the same way after he told them during Tuesday’s practice and Wednesday’s shootaround “to have fun.” The rest of the Mavericks starting lineup also scored in double figures, including Tim Hardaway Jr. Irving experienced what he called a “long 96 hours” that included little sleep and lots of packing after the Brooklyn Nets “It felt like he’s been here for a while.” “He works on his craft. “I’m just praying for his happiness and praying for his well-being. We’ve just tried to understand each other a lot and grow as human beings and grow as brothers.”

Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving had one last swipe at the Brooklyn Nets after Kevin Durant was reportedly dealt to the Phoenix Suns.

[Boston Celtics](https://www.foxnews.com/category/sports/nba/boston-celtics) in the first round. [CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP](https://foxnews.onelink.me/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products) Brooklyn only made it as far as the Eastern Conference Semifinals in the few seasons where their window to win was open. The reported deal came days after Brooklyn sent Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks. The Nets executed a sign-and-trade deal. [Nets agreed to trade](https://www.foxnews.com/category/sports/nba/brooklyn-nets) Durant and T.J.

Kyrie Irving got two wins for the price of one in his Mavericks debut on Wednesday night.

“The comfort level he feels with us, you could see it in the game. “The most important thing that we stressed as a team was just don’t force the ball to me. I wasn’t sure about whether or not I wanted to be in Brooklyn long-term because of things that was happening behind the scenes. . I’m just praying for his happiness, praying for his well-being,” Irving said, adding that he had been looking to get out of Brooklyn for awhile. It’s the first time I ever got traded in the middle of the season, so it was new for me, but I’m excited that I’m here.” “It felt good to get this debut out of the way,” Irving said.

Kyrie Irving, who was dealt to Dallas on Sunday after requesting a trade from the Nets, was asked for his reaction in real-time to the bombshell report that ...

'I just did my best to put my head down and work as hard as I could. 'I think this was in the works, like, after year one. Warren are set to move to the Valley in a blockbuster trade, with Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and four first-round picks heading to Brooklyn in exchange. We just tried to understand each other a lot better and grow as human beings, grow as brothers.' They played together only 16 times - going 13-3 in that stretch. 'We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of, you know, what our future is going to look like.

The Phoenix Suns acquired 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, according to multiple reports. The outlets, citing unnamed sources, said the ...

“We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of what our futures were going to look like,” Irving said. Irving scored 24 points in his Mavs debut against the Clippers on Wednesday. They also played in the finals in 1976 and 1993. They jumped to fifth in the Western Conference with a 30-26 record. Durant was moved just days after the Nets traded Kyrie Irving from Dallas, a stunningly fast end to the superstar era in Brooklyn. The trade comes just hours after new Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia was introduced in Phoenix.

The Phoenix Suns finally got their man after acquiring Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets in a blockbuster trade that completely upends the race to the NBA ...

That's $90M in payroll and tax savings.

Nets generate a $8M trade exception and now have 9 first-round picks over the next 7 drafts. But things have gone so far off the rails in recent years that there has to be a middle ground. Nets decrease their luxury tax payment from $108M at the beginning of the week all the way down to $35.5M by trading Kyrie Irving & Kevin Durant. The Golden State Warriors with Durant don't count because the core of that roster was drafted and developed by the organization before he came on board. This isn't a question of giving players the freedom to play where they want. Their title hopes this year are all but done, but general manager Sean Marks has positioned them well for the future. This isn't a good year in the Western Conference. They got off to a 16-7 start, lost 17 of their next 22 games and have rebounded to go 9-2 in 11 games since Jan. The Timberwolves will get Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and draft picks. Durant's presence will take a lot of pressure off Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul to provide buckets in crunch time. Devin Booker, who missed 21 straight games with a groin injury, returned to the lineup in Tuesday's win over the Nets. [Adrian Wojnarowski](https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1623564676066934785) reported the Suns will get Durant and T.J.

Kevin Durant's time in Brooklyn has ended. The Nets agreed to trade him to the Phoenix Suns, a person with knowledge of the details says.

“We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of what our futures were going to look like,” Irving said. Irving scored 24 points in his Mavs debut against the Clippers on Wednesday. They also played in the finals in 1976 and 1993. They jumped to fifth in the Western Conference with a 30-26 record. Durant was moved just days after the Nets traded Kyrie Irving from Dallas, a stunningly fast end to the superstar era in Brooklyn. The trade comes just hours after new Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia was introduced in Phoenix.

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving suggested late Wednesday night that he and Kevin Durant are in a good place despite the breakup of their partnership ...

Despite having three superstars, the Nets were ousted in the second round of the playoffs that season. They finally got on the court together in 2020-21, and general manager Sean Marks added another huge piece to the equation by acquiring perennial All-Star guard James Harden from the Houston Rockets. Warren to the Phoenix Suns for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and four unprotected first-round picks. Now, Irving and Durant are both in the thick of things in the Western Conference on teams with a legitimate chance to compete for a title. The Irving and Durant era didn't go the way most envisioned in Brooklyn, but they have both come out of it with an opportunity to return to championship glory. There's never been one moment where I felt like he's been angry at me for decisions I've made."

First off, wow. Just wow. That move not only altered the landscape of the Suns and Brooklyn Nets, but quite possibly the entire league. Now, the question ...

The loss of Mikal Bridges hurts, but having him and Ayton lurking in the paint together is going to be huge for the team’s rim protection moving forward. The good news, though, is that no team in the title hunt this year is flawless. But the bigger issue with him is his lack of scheme versatility against better offenses. This tactic did two things: 1) it forced a ton of turnovers (Booker and Paul combined for seven per game in the series), and 2) it forced the ancillary guys to try to create for themselves. Just imagine a team double-teaming Booker to get the ball out of his hands, only for him to give it up to Durant. With Durant, Paul, and Booker, this shouldn’t be too tall of a task (in theory), but it is still worrisome nonetheless. Outside of interior scoring, the two biggest issues this team faces moving forward are depth and defense. But for now, depth is a massive concern for this group. The Nets – despite employing half of all the rangy forwards in the NBA – are no longer in title contention this year. For one, the Suns’ rim pressure issue continues to linger. Or, to frame it more pointedly, how does this change the title race for this season? Well, let’s just get the obvious out of the way.

The Phoenix Suns have left no doubt that they are trying to win a championship this season after pulling off a blockbuster trade to acquire Kevin Durant ...

They have been as streaky as any team in the league. Things have been unsettled for the Suns on the court this season. Warren are going to the Suns in exchange for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four unprotected future first-round picks and a 2028 pick swap.

The Suns pulled a midnight blockbuster on Wednesday, acquiring 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant from the Nets, according to multiple reports.

They also played in the finals in 1976 and 1993. They jumped to fifth in the Western Conference with a 30-26 record. The trade comes just hours after new Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia was introduced in Phoenix.

Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant have now both departed the Brooklyn Nets - bringing a disappointing end to what looked to be a fascinating team developing at ...

Irving acknowledged that they did not play much together due to injuries, but believes everything happens for a reason, and is now thankful to be in Dallas with Luka Doncic. Irving had been playing in his Mavericks debut when he became aware of the news, and was asked about the trade after the game. Then during the season, Irving demanded a trade request after being unhappy with his situation, stating that he did not feel respected, and was ultimately dealt to the Dallas Mavericks.

The Nets sent the 13-time All-Star to the Suns in an overnight blockbuster trade.

Kyrie Irving said he is "glad" that Kevin Durant "got out of there" just minutes after ESPN reported the Nets had agreed to trade the former NBA MVP to the ...

I would have liked to see that work for the long term, but there are no mistakes and no coincidences and you gotta move forward. Initially hailed as the core of a superteam that would contend for multiple NBA championships, the trio of Irving, Durant and Harden played just 16 games together in Brooklyn. "I think I would like to say something about the superteam of me, James and KD that everyone thinks should have worked. "We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of what our futures were going to look like. I'm getting a little bit older. "He's getting a little bit older.

The Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets agreed to a blockbuster deal in the early morning hours of NBA trade deadline day that sent shockwaves through the league ...

The implosion of the Nets is one of the strangest stories in NBA history. Irving demanded a trade, and the Nets moved quickly to send him to Dallas. Would the Nets have chosen a deal with more future draft compensation (maybe from the Lakers?) if the knew KD would want out, too? The Suns have never won a championship before, and that is now their mission with KD and Booker. Irving wanted a max contract extension with all guaranteed money, the Nets reportedly wanted to protect themselves in case the NBA’s most unreliable superstar missed more games for who knows what reason. The Suns have two superstars in Durant and Booker, one aging Hall of Fame point guard in Chris Paul, and a talented if sometimes underwhelming young center in Deandre Ayton. The Suns have never had a player of Durant’s caliber in franchise history. Durant wasn’t going to have any star teammates left in Brooklyn if he finished out the season there, but he was going to have a deep team full of shooters and defenders around him. The Suns got a new governor in Mat Ishbia while [Durant had been playing at an MVP-level](https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2023/1/1/23524306/nba-mvp-candidates-ranked-nikola-jokic-luka-doncic-kevin-durant) for the Nets at age-34. Now in Phoenix, Durant has the co-star he craves in Devin Booker, but the supporting cast is looking thin. The Suns started this season 19-12, then went on a prolonged losing streak after Booker went out of the lineup on Christmas. Durant reportedly wanted to go to Phoenix last offseason when he requested a trade from the Nets, and now he finally has his wish.

The Suns will send Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and additional draft compensation to the Nets for Durant, ...

But it seems impossible to replace the firepower they lost with Durant and Irving, two All-Star starters. Bridges was the runner-up to Boston's Marcus Smart last season for the Defensive Player of the Year award and his offensive game continues to grow. "We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of what our futures were going to look like," Irving said. They also played in the finals in 1976 and 1993. They jumped to fifth in the Western Conference with a 30-26 record. James Harden was traded at last year's deadline, leaving the Nets with little to show for the brief time they had the Big Three together.

The Memphis Grizzlies have the second-best record in the Western Conference, but their championship odds have decreased in recent days.

Memphis could make a marginal move for a shooter and defender without mortgaging its future, in hopes of competing now and when the other top contenders with older cores start to disperse. The latest Durant news has shifted that thinking, and the Nets may be armed with the best group of quality wing players in the league who could be available. Now that Durant has been traded to the Suns, multiple reports are indicating that the price for coveted wings will rise with teams targeting players who could guard Durant. [ Grizzlies ](https://www.commercialappeal.com/sports/grizzlies/)are still the No. 2 seed in the West, but theirs odds of winning the NBA title have decreased, according to [ multiple betting sportsbooks](https://www.vegasinsider.com/nba/odds/futures/). In the past week alone, NBA star Kyrie Irving was traded to the Dallas Mavericks and Kevin Durant was sent to the Phoenix Suns.

Durant is joining his fourth NBA team. He has made more than $700 million, including endorsements, since he was drafted in 2007.

The Nets lost more money than any NBA team during the 2021-22 season and were trending that way again this season with a $100+ million luxury tax bill. The four-time scoring champ has endorsements deals with Nike, NBA 2K, Coinbase, Dapper Labs, Call of Duty, Weedmaps and FanDuel. The Suns’ revenue was $300 million during the 2021-22 season and ranked 18th in the league, according to Sportico’s NBA With Durant and Irving off the payroll, the tax for the Nets will now be liable for less than $40 million. His venture capital arm with business partner Rich Kleiman, 35V, has more than 75 investments, including sports-oriented ones such as The Suns’ total player costs, including salaries, luxury tax and benefits, should top $250 million this season and, barring a trip to the NBA Finals, will trigger a steep operating loss. And the Clippers—controlled by the NBA’s richest owner, Steve Ballmer (net worth: $95 billion)—are building a new arena, Intuit Dome, that will push their revenue into the NBA’s top five. The Suns are currently fifth in the Western Conference standings, sitting just four games above .500. [ranks](https://www.sportico.com/leagues/basketball/2022/nbas-highest-paid-players-lebron-curry-kd-300m-in-2022-23-1234691281/) as the third highest-paid player in the league this season, including more than $40 million off the court. He Can we do things to make sure of that, but I’m not just a short-term thinker. It is a huge financial commitment for Ishbia, who is worth $6 billion, according to Bloomberg.

Kevin Durant reportedly did not support the Nets trading Kyrie Irving and wanted to move on after that.

The Suns were a team at the top of Durant’s list before he rescinded his trade request. Brooklyn is also expected to explore trade scenarios for Crowder before the deadline, Windhorst said he expects the Nets to make more moves ahead of Thursday’s 3 p.m. The Nets will receive unprotected selections in 2023, 2025, 2027, and 2029. [ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said Thursday on SportsCenter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGoFXDAKMvs&t=65s). [Kevin Durant is on the move.

Phoenix is now the favorite to win the West following Wednesday night's blockbuster deal.

The star forward was meant to be the cornerstone of Joe Tsai's Brooklyn Nets, but now he'll join the Phoenix Suns and new owner Mat Ishbia.

The blockbuster trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns from the Brooklyn Nets has shaken up the odds to win the NBA championship.

“Kevin Durant is coming off an injury, we expect him to be fine shortly after the All-Star break,” Legler said. “Devin Booker just came back, so this is not going to be seamless. [blockbuster trade](https://www.nj.com/sports/2023/02/nets-trade-kevin-durant-in-deadline-blockbuster.html) that sent Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns from the Brooklyn Nets has shaken up the odds to win the NBA championship. Phoenix (30-26) is tied for the fourth seed in the West with the Dallas Mavericks, who just He is averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists. The Boston Celtics are the favorite at 3/1, while the Denver Nuggets are at 6.5/1.

The blockbuster trade brings a clean slate to both KD and Phoenix.

Kyrie Irving got his wish to be traded out of Brooklyn, and he said he's glad fellow superstar Kevin Durant followed him out the door.

Fans, fellow NBA athletes and the mayor of Phoenix all took to social media to voice their reactions. "That is insane," one fan, Joe Brooks, told NPR.

For those that want one, the NBA will send a free placement to customers who purchased a jersey shortly after a player switched teams, [per its store policy.](https://store.nba.com/jersey-assurance/x-143713+z-91829756-2442190644) But not everyone is upset by the news: Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego shared her approval of the trade. "Can't even go to sleep early anymore this time of the year," C.J. The Suns will be the fourth NBA franchise for the 34-year-old Durant, who previously played for the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder and the Golden State Warriors. [to the Dallas Mavericks. The Brooklyn Nets traded Durant, along with forward, T.J.

The Phoenix Suns' well-designed offense is the perfect landing spot for Durant, and Durant in turn has the ability to propel the Suns further than their ...

Feeding Durant in isolation remains one of the most straightforward paths to quality offense anywhere in the league. The Nets fell apart, and Durant became a Sun. The Suns have learned many hard lessons—among them the limitations of a well-designed system—these last few seasons, and in this season in particular. Now they plug the most unguardable pull-up shooter of all time into that framework—despite the fact that Durant honestly doesn’t even need much space or momentum—without even having to surrender Booker in the deal. There’s everything Phoenix could be, and there’s everything Phoenix is now—with Booker easing his way back from a groin injury, Durant still out nursing an MCL sprain, and Paul, 37, an ongoing project of injury management. When Booker was sidelined by a groin injury, however, the Suns learned how little they can rely on all that cute action without the threat of a fallback scorer. The Suns already know how to set up a deadly pull-up shooter with enough space and momentum to work out the best of his options. Any team in basketball could fit one of the most reliable scorers in the history of the game into the complexion of what it does. The most exciting part of a superteam is the idea of it. Durant is really the ultimate in superteam dreamscaping, for the simple reason that his game is as adaptable as it is undeniable. So many of Phoenix’s go-to sets for Booker—curls that have Booker run off screens to catch the ball when he already has a step on his defender—could be easily transposed for Durant, who can do most everything Booker can, only at more extreme dimensions. But while the ball still hangs in the air, a superteam is pure possibility.

The Lakers and Raptors were both expected to be active players given the reporting that led up to Thursday, but the Nets blew all previous—and likely future— ...

Here is a timeline of the Durant era in Brooklyn.

André Snellings and Eric Moody break down what the trades of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook mean from a fantasy perspective, and look at the other ...

[Josh Hart](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3062679/josh-hart) joins the Knicks and is reunited with former Villanova teammate [Jalen Brunson](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3934672/jalen-brunson) in New York. If you recall, he was traded from the Raptors to the Spurs in 2018 as part of the [Kawhi Leonard](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6450/kawhi-leonard) trade. [Cameron Payne](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3064230/cameron-payne), [Landry Shamet](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3914044/landry-shamet), [T.J. [Lonzo Ball](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066421/lonzo-ball) this season due to a knee injury that has kept him off the court since Jan. The veteran out of Ohio State has averaged 7.7 APG, a career high, and Gobert set an on-ball screen for Conley 21.9 times per game last season, second only to [Chris Paul](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2779/chris-paul) and [Deandre Ayton](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4278129/deandre-ayton). [Kyrie Irving](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6442/kyrie-irving) moving to the [Dallas Mavericks](/nba/team/_/name/dal/dallas-mavericks) earlier in the week and [Kevin Durant](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3202/kevin-durant) and [Russell Westbrook](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3468/russell-westbrook) both dealt on Wednesday. [Rudy Gobert](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3032976/rudy-gobert) in Minnesota and should slot into the starting point guard role. [Kevin Durant](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3202/kevin-durant), [T.J. O'Neale and Finney-Smith are role players both in the NBA and in fantasy, but Johnson still has achievable upside with his ability to knock down shots. None of the other Nets are high-usage guys, and in fact their frontcourt is comprised almost entirely of defense-first players that can either stretch the floor or finish at the rim but that don't create for themselves. Ayton could be the Suns player that sees the biggest drop in his fantasy status with this move. For the second time in half-a-week, we're in this space talking about the Nets giving up an All-NBA player for a package of productive younger players and draft picks.

Kyrie Irving has blasted Brooklyn Nets after trade of Kevin Durant to Phoenix Suns.

[Brooklyn Nets](/topic/brooklyn-nets)made a deal to send Kevin [Durant](/topic/durant)to the [Phoenix Suns](/topic/phoenix-suns)shortly after his departure has revealed a lot. The Brooklyn Nets have had a difficult time in recent years, a franchise in dire need of success after assembling two 'super-teams' that have been huge disappointments. Irving spoke about the 'super-team' he formed with Durant and James Harden, who was also traded away following a tumultuous period with the team. As a result, Durant was traded to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night, and in both moves, the Nets obtained several first-round draft picks and young players. During his first game with the Mavericks, Irving learned of Durant's trade, and was later questioned about it after the game. However, what transpired were several years of disappointment, as both players battled with injuries, particularly Irving who missed a substantial amount of time, and the team was plagued by high-profile trade failures.

Kevin Durant's partnership with close friend Kyrie Irving came to an end with their respective trades to Phoenix and Dallas this week, but the two could ...

Irving had four rebounds and five assists in 37 minutes of what amounted to a dress rehearsal before Doncic returns to give the Mavs a powerhouse backcourt. Early in the fourth, Irving fouled Paul George. He was part of a 13-0 spurt early in the game, scoring eight points on a jumper and back-to-back 3-pointers. It's the first time I ever got traded in the middle of the season, so it was new for me, but I'm excited that I'm here.' 'It felt good to get this debut out of the way,' Irving said. But while Durant is signed through the 2025-26 season, Irving can be a free agent this summer, when Chris Paul's $30 million salary is only partially guaranteed.

Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns shook up the sports world Thursday, making the biggest splash before the NBA trade deadline during Super Bowl week.

Durant and Irving joined the Nets in July 2019, followed by James Harden in early 2021. And they must navigate a loaded conference with the Memphis Grizzles, Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers all among the top six seeds. Thursday, the Suns and Nets struck a deal for Phoenix to acquire Durant and small forward T.J. Shortly after, Ishbia and Nets owner Joe Tsai discussed the Durant trade. But Paul, who has the third-most assists in NBA history, is on the decline in his 18th season. Durant’s foot was on the three-point line, sending the game to overtime, which they eventually lost 115-111. And if there’s any time for him to add another title to his résumé, it’s now. Warren in exchange for three players and four future first-round picks, a person with knowledge of the deal told USA TODAY Sports. Ayton, 24, is a former No. Durant, one of the NBA’s best players, will join the Suns after four seasons with the Brooklyn Nets. “It was a disastrous era,” Smith said. Ishbia is a billionaire who owns United Wholesale Mortgage, and was a former walk-on basketball player under Tom Izzo at Michigan State from 1999-2002.

With Jaylen Brown injured, the C's need for extra wing depth is even more pressing now. The Nets, by way of acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson, Mikal ...

Had Durant stayed in Brooklyn, the Nets could have been dangerous even with Kyrie Irving having been traded earlier this week. “While the Nets have no incentive to tank in the present after trading away first round picks in previous deals for James Harden, they also are no longer pot committed on winning during this current season to help keep Durant happy. With the Nets now firmly moved on from the ‘big 3’ era, Brooklyn could be interested in selling off some of their pieces who could be of use to a contender.

One of the most exciting NBA trade deadlines in history had fans scrambling to keep up. The Brooklyn Nets made the first big splash by sending Kyrie Irving ...

One of the most interesting storylines during the final day was the constant movement of second-round picks.
After all the dealing, @DKSportsbook has the Celtics as still the favorites to win the title this year at +350, but the Suns leapt up to the No. 2 spot, going from +1800 to +425 post Durant trade.

The Suns will send Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and additional draft compensation to the Nets for Durant, ...

But it seems impossible to replace the firepower they lost with Durant and Irving, two All-Star starters. Bridges was the runner-up to Boston's Marcus Smart last season for the Defensive Player of the Year award and his offensive game continues to grow. "We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of what our futures were going to look like," Irving said. They also played in the finals in 1976 and 1993. They jumped to fifth in the Western Conference with a 30-26 record. James Harden was traded at last year's deadline, leaving the Nets with little to show for the brief time they had the Big Three together.

In a blockbuster trade, the Phoenix Suns have acquired Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, the NBA teams announced Thursday.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to building the team Brooklyn deserves.” On Thursday, the Nets traded Crowder to the Milwaukee Bucks. Durant was under contract with the Nets through the 2025-26 season – though he to the Valley as we build a championship culture both on and off the court. On Sunday, the team traded The Nets will receive Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and a 2028 pick swap to Brooklyn, the Suns said.

The Brooklyn Nets believe trading Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns is best for "long-term success," after their latest attempt at a "big three" backfired.

[Ben Simmons](https://www.foxnews.com/sports/ben-simmons-says-hes-grateful-back-court-after-nets-debut) was part of that trade, but he hasn’t been his previous All-Star self in Brooklyn. Now Irving and Durant move on. Phoenix is hoping to utilize that scoring strength alongside Booker, Paul and Deandre Ayton, who stays with the Suns despite being brought up in trade rumors. Durant still had three years left on a contract he signed prior to the start of this year worth over $194 million. The Nets were doing well, though, at 32-22. "Mikal and Cam are elite, ascending, versatile wings, plus the draft capital provides us additional avenues to continue to acquire talent.

Sports talker Shannon Sharpe, the former NFL tight end, gave his take on the Brooklyn Nets' situation after the team traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

[a Pro Football Hall of Famer](https://www.foxnews.com/category/sports/nfl) turned FOX Sports personality, explained to Fox News Digital he didn’t think things between the Nets and Durant got better after the superstar had requested a trade in the offseason. Sharpe is encouraging men to get screened for prostate cancer. They’re always going to put a positive spin on it. "I didn’t think anything had gotten better between Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets, and now that Kyrie Irving was gone — one of the guys he wanted to join in going to Brooklyn – I thought there was like a 90-plus percent chance that this season he was going to request a trade and be moved," Sharpe said in a recent interview. He mentioned the Nets previously going after Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. But still, I heard the C word. Sharpe added that it didn’t make sense to him why the superstar combinations didn’t work. "But you can’t blame them," Sharpe told Fox News Digital. [James Harden](https://www.foxnews.com/sports/76ers-james-harden-unhappy-nba-all-star-game-snub) wanted out. Brooklyn received several young players and draft picks to cultivate young talent for the future, but their latest attempt at building a superstar roster failed in dramatic fashion. "But I didn’t think he’d be moved by the trade deadline. Kevin Durant wanted out.

The Nets reportedly will receive Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, 4 first-round draft picks and a pick swap for Kevin Durant and T.J. Warren.

They also played in the Finals in 1976 and 1993. They jumped to fifth in the Western Conference with a 30-26 record. “We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of what our futures were going to look like,” Irving said. The Suns made the Finals two seasons ago, but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. Irving scored 24 points in his Mavs debut against the Clippers on Wednesday. The trade comes just hours after new Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia was introduced in Phoenix.

Stewart Cink made a great first impression during the Waste Management Phoenix Open by playing up to the crowd at the famous par-3 16th hole known as 'The ...

just HOURS after the star was traded from Brooklyn Cink put on a Kevin Durant jersey, just hours after the basketball star was traded to the Suns Stewart Cink plays up to the local crowd at the WM Phoenix Open by donning a brand-new Suns Kevin Durant jersey on the famous 16th hole...

In Kyrie Irving's mind, setting ablaze the fabric of the Nets was beyond his control. In reality, Brooklyn's gravest mistake was holding Irving accountable.

Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams said that the addition of Kevin Durant has provided a 'jolt' to the organization.

"We got to get a rhythm, we got to understand how we can play together -- Kevin can play with anybody. I think that's the thing, I get it, it's definitely exciting -- but there's a lot that goes into this stuff, man. Now the Suns will have to build a new part of their family with Durant at the center of everything. "We got a chance to be really good," Williams said. I think we got punched in the face so many times where we've adapted and accepted to where, we've accepted adversity, it helped build confidence to where we've been in situations where a team threw everything at us to stop us even though we didn't have the right pieces on the court ... And KD, he just love to hoop. I think that's what brought me and Book closer together because he just love to hoop. "So you add him to the daggone who is that that the Harlem Globetrotters play against all the time? Where we're at, especially at the start of the season, we lost a few games and we seen what it's like. I think the guys are going to see something that they may not have seen before as far as his approach and how much he just loves to play basketball. "I think if he could hoop every day, 24/7 he would do that and I think that's who we are. Just because of, not just who he is as a player, but his love for the game.

The NBA trade deadline had plenty of league-shifting trades as Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook will finish the 2022-23 season with a ...

Phoenix is acquiring Brooklyn's Kevin Durant and T.J. Warren in exchange for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and a 2028 pick ...

They also played in the Finals in 1976 and 1993. With the departures of Irving and Durant, Brooklyn does not have a player on its roster that is averaging at least 20 points this season. The Suns have never won an NBA title and, entering this season, are at 54 consecutive campaigns without a league championship. They are now +525 to win it all, the second-shortest odds in the NBA and shortest among Western Conference teams. Everything else and in between, I just, I'm glad that he got out of there." [Kings](/nba/team/_/name/sac/sacramento-kings) (71) and [Hawks](/nba/team/_/name/atl/atlanta-hawks) (64). The picks, in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029, are unprotected. Durant joins a starting lineup that already includes an All-Star backcourt of "I welcome all that. He's getting a little bit older, I'm getting a little bit older, I just love the competition now that we can be in the same conference," Irving said. [Chris Paul](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2779/chris-paul) and [Devin Booker](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3136193/devin-booker), along with center [Deandre Ayton](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4278129/deandre-ayton). Warren](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2982334/tj-warren) in the trade, sources said.

Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams said that the addition of Kevin Durant has provided a 'jolt' to the organization.

"We got to get a rhythm, we got to understand how we can play together -- Kevin can play with anybody. I think that's the thing, I get it, it's definitely exciting -- but there's a lot that goes into this stuff, man. Now the Suns will have to build a new part of their family with Durant at the center of everything. "We got a chance to be really good," Williams said. I think we got punched in the face so many times where we've adapted and accepted to where, we've accepted adversity, it helped build confidence to where we've been in situations where a team threw everything at us to stop us even though we didn't have the right pieces on the court ... And KD, he just love to hoop. I think that's what brought me and Book closer together because he just love to hoop. "So you add him to the daggone who is that that the Harlem Globetrotters play against all the time? Where we're at, especially at the start of the season, we lost a few games and we seen what it's like. I think the guys are going to see something that they may not have seen before as far as his approach and how much he just loves to play basketball. "I think if he could hoop every day, 24/7 he would do that and I think that's who we are. Just because of, not just who he is as a player, but his love for the game.

In his career, Kevin Durant has switched teams three times. The first time he did it, he assembled one of the best basketball teams in history and the ...

Uncertainty surrounds what the Suns would have given up in exchange for him, but the Nets now essentially own all of their tradeable assets. The Atlanta Hawks' power forward John Collins was a target for the Suns, and they were prepared to make a change. Durant will now join the [Phoenix Suns](https://www.marca.com/en/basketball/nba/phoenix-suns.html) after four dissapointing seasons. The Rockets are just one misfortune away from having the most valuable collection of basketball draft picks. Besides the Nets and the Suns, who else is likely to be most impacted by this trade? The first time he did it, he assembled one of the best basketball teams in history and the [Warriors](https://www.marca.com/en/basketball/nba/golden-state-warriors.html)went on to win two championships.