It is official: Kyrie Irving is out of Brooklyn. After a season marred with speculation about his future, the point guard made it known that he wanted to leave after the Nets decided to not extend Kyrie Irving to a max contract if the team did not win a championship this year. The point guard did not want his finances to be uncertain, and the Nets pulled the trigger on a massive blockbuster deal to send Kyrie to the Dallas Mavericks. That’s right, Luka Doncic now has Kyrie Irving as his new sidekick and even more reinforcements could be on the way. Kyrie’s deal has thrown Kevin Durant’s future in doubt because the superstar forward won’t be able to win in Brooklyn without the point guard.
Kevin Durant is in contract until 2026, which means he is getting paid over $40 million per season until the age of 37. Brooklyn is aware of that fact and that Kevin might become unsettled with the situation. It could be likely that KD becomes available sooner rather than later. Of course, teams across the NBA will be excited for the chance to trade for the superstar forward and former MVP. There is no doubt that Kevin Durant is one of the greatest offensive players of his era, and has consistently been one of the most unstoppable players in the league since his rookie season.
There isn’t an NBA player with better offensive talent than Durant because the former Oklahoma City Thunder star has the ability to create any shot he wants at any time. Of course, Kevin has consistently been a walking bucket with a career average of 27.3 PPG on 49.8% FG, 38.4% 3-PT FG, and 88.6% FT. But since Kyrie Irving is officially out of Brooklyn, Durant should become available because the Nets will not win with him as the sole superstar. Even if he has only played 39 games so far this season, the 4-time scoring champion is capable of carrying an offense by himself and is one of the top-three players in the world right now.
It is a shame that Durant and Irving weren’t able to deliver in Brooklyn, because they were one of the most talented duos in NBA history. Kyrie Irving’s inability to stay focused on basketball has forced Durant’s hand to request a trade earlier this season, something we never thought we would see from arguably a top-15 player of all time. Quite frankly, the Nets management has also had enough with the drama, and another Durant trade request could push them over the edge once and for all.
Since Kyrie is gone, the Nets are in the mix to trade their superstar Kevin Durant for a chance to rebuild their title hopes with the likes of Ben Simmons still on the roster. With the trade deadline around the corner, there is one team that has been mentioned: the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix is currently 29-26 in the Western Conference, as they have dropped out of being one of the top teams in the conference as they sit 5th. Chris Paul and Devin Booker are an incredibly talented duo, but they need more help besides the unsettled Deandre Ayton and Miles Bridges. The Suns are extremely interested in Kevin Durant and have been for a while now, and they have a legitimate shot to acquire him in an even bigger trade than the one that sent Kyrie Irving to Dallas.
While it has been historically unlikely that a top-3 player in the league would be traded, there have been a ton of circumstances that have effectively forced Durant out of Brooklyn. It is time to discover the blockbuster trade package that allows the Phoenix Suns the services of 12-time All-Star Kevin Durant.
Trade Details: Kevin Durant for Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, 2024 First-Round Pick, 2026 First-Round Pick, 2027 First-Round Pick
