Phoenix Suns ‘are ready to pursue Kevin Durant if he becomes available’ after the Brooklyn Nets were rocked by Kyrie Irving’s ultimatum and trade to the Dallas Mavericks
Following the league-shaking trade that will send Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets to the Dallas Mavericks, the Phoenix Suns have become prepared to pursue a move for Kevin Durant should he become available according to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski recently reported that rival terms were interested in how fellow superstar Durant would react to the trade situation with Irving.
In fact, it was even claimed that teams would have more interest in Durant than Irving, and the Suns are now said to be prepared to pursue him.
This is not the first time the Suns have been linked to pursing Durant, as they were one of the two teams he reportedly preferred as a destination when he requested a trade during the offseason. The other reported team was the Miami Heat.
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Talks of a Durant to Phoenix trade eventually died down once things seemed to be amended between the 13-time all-star and the Nets.
The Phoenix Suns are interested in pursing Kevin Durant if he becomes available for trade
Teams like the Suns are interested in Durant’s reaction following the Kyrie Irving trade
Irving was traded from the Nets to the Dallas Mavericks only days after requesting a trade
The Suns have however been trying to offload veteran forward Jae Crowder since the start of the season so it would be safe to assume any trade package would include Crowder, draft compensation, and at least one other serviceable player.
Irving was sent to the Mavericks in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, and multiple future second-round picks.
It would make sense for Brooklyn to charge a similar if not greater price for Durant due to not only the fact he is under a long-term contract with the team, but also his lack of baggage compared to Irving.
Not only is Irving set to be a free agent at the end of the season but he has been on the wrong side of controversies during his tenure at the Nets.
He was sidelined for most of the Nets’ regular season games last year due to his COVID-19 vaccination status, while New York City had a rule in place mandating athletes and entertainers be vaccinated in order to play or perform. The rule was overturned in time for the playoffs after it endured much ridicule for being unfair after it did not apply to visiting athletes or performers.
This season, Irving was suspended eight games after posting a link to a film deemed to be anti-Semitic and initially refusing to apologize for the controversy.
SNY’s Ian Begley reported that the Nets and the Toronto Raptors had talks on a ‘subsequent deal’ after the Irving trade. However, it remains to be seen what the talks entailed and if they involved Durant.
Irving and Durant signed with the Nets at the same time in the hopes to win a championship
