So much for it all being just talk. Shortly after 1 a.m. ET on Thursday (early) morning, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski delivered the bombshell NBA fans have been waiting for leading up to the trade deadline.

With just over 12 hours left before the deadline, the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns worked out a deal to send superstar forward Kevin Durant to Phoenix, along with forward TJ Warren. In return, the Suns will get forwards Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Jae Crowder, as well as four unprotected first-round picks in 2023, 2025, 2027, and 2029.

• The Suns are sending Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks, a 2028 pick swap for Durant and TJ Warren, sources tell ESPN. Durant wanted move and new owner Mat Ishbia pushed to get deal done tonight. https://t.co/fqFUMIDllo

  — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 9, 2023

• According to Wojnarowski, Durant “wanted [the] move,” and new Suns over Mat Ishbia “pushed to get [the] deal done tonight.” So far this season Durant, 34, has played in and started 39 games, averaging 29.7 points per game while shooting a career-best 55.9 percent from the floor, 37.6 percent from three, and a league-best 93.4 percent from the free throw line.

  Durant, who is viewed by many as the best pure scorer in the league, hasn’t played since January 8 due to an MCL sprain in his right knee. He is expected to return after next week’s All-Star break, according to ESPN.

  This move amounts to a finishing move of a teardown of the super team the Nets finished building in January of 2021, when they acquired James Harden to play with Durant and Kyrie Irving. Now, just over two years later, the book is closed with that trio only having playing 16 games together, going 13-3 (just Durant and Irving played 87 games together, going 53-34). Harden was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers a year ago tomorrow, and Irving was sent to Dallas earlier this week.

• The moves likely aren’t done for the Nets now either. According to Wojnarowski, they’re “expected to explore trade scenarios” for Crowder before Thursday’s deadline. Crowder, 32, hasn’t played this year as he and the team ‘mutually agreed’ to let him sit after he requested a trade over the summer. Last season, he averaged 9.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in 67 starts for Phoenix. Around the league, he may be viewed as a valuable veteran presence to a young contending team – a role he played for the Suns during their Finals run in the 2020-2021 season.

  For the Celtics, this deal takes a potential Eastern Conference contender out of the picture. Brooklyn made this deal with a 32-22 record, which has them currently in fifth place in the East. The Celtics and Nets are scheduled to play their final of four meetings this regular season on March 3 (the Celtics have won the first three).

  Meanwhile, the trade3 does create another title contender and potentially title favorite in the Western Conference, with Durant teaming up with Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and DeAndre Ayton. After a mid-season stumble the Suns have been on the rise lately, winning three games in a row and eight of their last 10. They’re n ow 30-26, tied for fourth place in the West. The Celtics and Suns have already completed their two head-to-head matchups this year, splitting those matchups with the road team winning each game.

• Kevin Durant’s career stats

  Per Game Table

  Season	Age	Tm	G	GS	MP	FG%	3P%	FT%	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	PTS
  2007-08	19	SEA	80	80	34.6	.430	.288	.873	4.4	2.4	1.0	0.9	20.3
  2008-09	20	OKC	74	74	39.0	.476	.422	.863	6.5	2.8	1.3	0.7	25.3
  2009-10	21	OKC	82	82	39.5	.476	.365	.900	7.6	2.8	1.4	1.0	30.1
  2010-11	22	OKC	78	78	38.9	.462	.350	.880	6.8	2.7	1.1	1.0	27.7
  2011-12	23	OKC	66	66	38.6	.496	.387	.860	8.0	3.5	1.3	1.2	28.0
  2012-13	24	OKC	81	81	38.5	.510	.416	.905	7.9	4.6	1.4	1.3	28.1
  2013-14	25	OKC	81	81	38.5	.503	.391	.873	7.4	5.5	1.3	0.7	32.0
  2014-15	26	OKC	27	27	33.8	.510	.403	.854	6.6	4.1	0.9	0.9	25.4
  2015-16	27	OKC	72	72	35.8	.505	.387	.898	8.2	5.0	1.0	1.2	28.2
  2016-17	28	GSW	62	62	33.4	.537	.375	.875	8.3	4.8	1.1	1.6	25.1
  2017-18	29	GSW	68	68	34.2	.516	.419	.889	6.8	5.4	0.7	1.8	26.4
  2018-19	30	GSW	78	78	34.6	.521	.353	.885	6.4	5.9	0.7	1.1	26.0
  2019-20	31	BRK	DNP-Inj
  2020-21	32	BRK	35	32	33.1	.537	.450	.882	7.1	5.6	0.7	1.3	26.9
  2021-22	33	BRK	55	55	37.2	.518	.383	.910	7.4	6.4	0.9	0.9	29.9
  2022-23	34	BRK	39	39	36.0	.559	.376	.934	6.7	5.3	0.8	1.5	29.7
  Career			978	975	36.7	.498	.384	.886	7.1	4.3	1.1	1.1	27.3
  9 seasons		SEA,OKC	641	641	37.8	.483	.380	.882	7.0	3.7	1.2	1.0	27.4
  3 seasons		GSW	208	208	34.1	.524	.384	.883	7.1	5.4	0.8	1.5	25.8
  3 seasons		BRK	129	126	35.7	.535	.400	.910	7.1	5.8	0.8	1.2	29.0

  Bold indicates led league
  Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
  Generated 2/9/2023.

• Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at [email protected].

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