Early Thursday morning reports have indicated that the Brooklyn Nets are trading Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns.
Also, heading to Phoenix is T.J. Warren and the Nets are acquiring four unprotected first-round picks, Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges, and Cam Johnson. The news is not shocking as Durant in the offseason requested a trade, though it seemed that things got worked out. Yet, after Kyrie Irving got traded to the Dallas Mavericks, it was only a matter of time before he got moved.
Now what is somewhat surprising is how little Phoenix gave up to acquire one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. Durant now enters a roster that has kept its core together in Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton.
Acquiring Durant means Phoenix is one of the favorites to get to the NBA Finals in the western conference. Though the Suns will need to wait for his debut as he continues to recover from a knee injury that likely keeps him out until after the All-Star break.
In 39 games Durant has averaged 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.3 assissts, and 1.5 blocks per game. He is shooting 55.9 percent from the field, 37.6 percent from three, and 93.4 percent from the free throw line.
As for Brooklyn, Bridges is one of the better defensive players in the NBA and in 2021-2022, there was plenty of talks about him winning Defensive Player of the Year, which ultimately went to Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics. He is having a career-year offensively averaging 17.2 points per game and 3.6 assists, he also average 4.3 rebounds per game, and around one block and steal per game. He is shooting 46.3 percent from the field, 38.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 89.7 percent from the free throw line.
Crowder decided to sit rather than play. He’s a solid rotational player off the bench. Johnson like Bridges, is having a career-year though he has only played in 16 games so far. The power forward is averaging 13.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and about one steal per game. He has shot 47.4 percent from the field 45.5 percent from three, and 81.8 percent from the free throw line.
It is clear that the Nets are on the path to a rebuild especially when sending one of the NBA’s greatest scorers and not including a bigger name in the deal like Ayton.
Still as the season progresses, Brooklyn is likely to see how well second year man Cam Thomas performs since entering the starting lineup. In his two starts following the Irving departure, he ha averaged 45 points per game, 4.5 rebounds, 3 assists, on 50 percent shooting from the field and on threes, and 90.3 percent from free throw line. He will definitely get the opportunity to show a glimpse of what the future holds for the franchise with him in the starting lineup consistently.