Late on Wednesday night, the NBA trade deadline heated up to max temperatures as a former member of the Golden State Warriors was traded in a blockbuster deal to the Phoenix Suns.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Brooklyn Nets agreed to trade 13-time NBA All-Star forward Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns in a shocking deal on the night before the 2023 trade deadline.
Via @ShamsCharania on Twitter:
BREAKING: The Phoenix Suns are closing in on a trade to acquire 13-time NBA All-Star Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, league sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 9, 2023
Promising young players Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson along with veteran Jae Crowder and four first-round picks are expected to be on their way to the Brooklyn Nets in a package that landed Durant, per Charania.
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 Suns are trading Jae Crowder to the Nets as part of the Kevin Durant deal, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 9, 2023
During the 2022-23 season, Durant is averaging 29.7 points on 55.9% shooting from the field with 37.6% shooting from long distance to go along with 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 rebounds in 39 games. Durant has missed the last 14 games due to a knee injury.
Durant spent three seasons in Golden State from 2016 to 2019 before opting for Brooklyn in free agency during the 2019 offseason. During his time with the Warriors, Durant won two titles to go along with a pair of NBA Finals Most Valuable Player awards.
Durant will now join Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul in the desert with the Suns.
To defend their title and repeat as champions, the Warriors will likely have to go through Durant and the Suns in the Western Conference.
The 2023 NBA trade deadline is set for Thursday, Feb. 9 at 3 p.m. ET.
This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
