Brooklyn Nets Receive: G Chris Paul, F Mikal Bridges, 2023 First-Round Pick
Phoenix Suns Receive: F Kevin Durant
Were you expecting to see Deandre Ayton’s name?
Fair enough. The recent number one overall pick is set to hit Restricted Free Agency this summer. WIth his relationship with the Suns under heavy scrutiny, there are ample reasons to believe he won’t return to the team. We could have drawn up a sign-and-trade that landed him in Brooklyn.
We just couldn’t justify it for either side. On the Brooklyn Nets’ end, they’d be building around a core of Ben Simmons, Kyrie Irving, and Ayton moving forward. That’s problematic.
Simmons and Ayton are both absolute non-shooters. They’re a particularly bad fit together. That doesn’t feel like a good starting point for Brooklyn.
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Meanwhile, the Suns would be swapping a 23-year-old for a 33-year-old in an Ayton/Durant exchange.
With Chris Paul approaching 37, that doesn’t feel optimal either. With 25-year-old Devin Booker still on the roster, getting that much older is too risky. If Durant gets hurt and Paul retires after next year, for example, Booker would be left on his own.
That feels like a surefire way to guarantee his trade request. With this deal, the Phoenix Suns add Kevin Durant, presumably retain Ayton, and forge ahead in their quest for an NBA title.
