Kevin Durant Lands New Team After Kyrie Irving’s Exit

By: Vivek Nair Image Credit: NBA

[{"selector":"#anim-1d75b479-483b-49de-a05c-dc35cf4c0c59","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(106.73575%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-80569d30-ba51-4962-a128-ce93094c7021","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-809fa70d-8014-4fc0-9e67-f382f5d51fba","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-56ec5f4b-e5fc-4f3c-8a88-d6a303b536a6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2f16e446-b81c-4b37-9c15-8f163c020a5e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.79935%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ee220d93-338e-460c-9279-e13a15fb2594 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-15.354664934057077%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] After the Nets traded Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks over the weekend, Durant reportedly discussed with Brooklyn Nets office about the future of the franchise but the conversation ended up in KD getting traded.

[{"selector":"#anim-bcc595f1-f776-4156-9f93-4f2faf22c226 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(75.46874985114533%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4ba4e43c-6112-4ae0-a48e-778c19b466c4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a442f34f-e1b7-49c4-a6c5-106a0c682369","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 71.07629%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ff8f86d-e97f-4126-8b0d-f31d390c0a34","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Kevin Durant has been transferred to the Phoenix Suns for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four unprotected first-round picks, and a pick swap to land Durant along with T.J. Warren.

[{"selector":"#anim-cb48d2fe-27dc-4c5d-aeaf-54a10eaecadd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c4f5628e-8178-4ac6-bbbe-c68907603ca5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-323.52939%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5b5c2656-e740-43e4-ba49-04af7423fc5d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3024f2c7-ef67-4be3-8096-e06799446472","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-125.09091%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-055e87d1-f779-4a9b-a5d6-d11ba54bd9cb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(17.03498702320104%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] There wasn't even an indication that Brooklyn was ready to move on from Durant in the wake of the Kyrie Irving trade.

[{"selector":"#anim-97bdb203-2786-42a6-91a2-2765f34bb75e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(109.32642%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5b921484-598c-434c-ac66-53f3cc99ecae","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-16563ebf-b8c8-4b2c-98d9-3b17d75b8458","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ce433024-dde8-44fb-a8d8-ef43af51b6e1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4f5af8d7-ceac-43d0-aa9e-639448af155c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-120.06472%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-14a8630b-52cb-43c1-9280-5a641870f6e1 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-56.541666577353865%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Durant now teams up with Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Deandre Ayton for the Suns. The Western Conference is much stronger now than it was a week ago.

[{"selector":"#anim-9c9afac6-07d2-4c47-bcff-efc40d67183a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-58.17708324402054%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9a4ad5f7-930c-488f-9d52-12b525888521","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1db4a781-9364-4680-98a8-71d5fa7ad53e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 71.32402%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-68d68a98-3ed8-42f8-9342-db7353363742","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Hours after Mat Ishbia took over the Phoenix Suns, the team made a stunning acquisition, getting star forward Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets.

[{"selector":"#anim-53303604-0901-4d8e-9f43-0c78507b3ab1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2e3cedcc-8da4-4983-991a-41c3c9273f1a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.59459%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a4361230-5c3e-4969-bd17-04b702e8950f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(40.59635407735387%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Neither Chris Paul nor Devin Booker have won an NBA title, but now that Durant is on their team, the chances of the Suns winning the playoffs have skyrocketed.

[{"selector":"#anim-e736f80e-198d-46a6-8d69-dbd025c0b4ca","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(109.04392%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f0109225-6e4a-43b6-82c9-1ad44b3e04db","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0a29ae16-d65f-4e9e-aa95-722c20c44f38","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9e830305-a21e-49dc-9ba4-1e0eb81ab72b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-11dc6826-d8f1-4819-b47a-65dac8814bcc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.06354%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dd411faa-78ac-4f53-98fa-994d79302ef4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-17.237784218422583%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Durant is currently recovering from a ligament strain in his right knee but is expected to return soon. Prior to the injury, Durant was playing at an elite level, averaging nearly 30 points per game this season.

[{"selector":"#anim-89e293e9-9c87-409f-bfd4-2c7a09bf1ea4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-19.120903502788067%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cac72c0d-1e6f-4ce8-aa46-d3fae7b6b7c3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f71ed55e-dd2d-4e21-a00d-01c8fbc7c0ba","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 75.66998%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-591009c4-cb90-4141-b3af-3697dcb4ae79","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] By the 2024–25 season, Durant will be one of the highest-paid players in the NBA with a salary of $49.9 million, and when the final year rolls around, he’ll be making $53.3 million and will have an incentive of $1.4 million.

Kevin Durant Lands New Team After Kyrie Irving’s Exit

More Stories.

THANKS FOR READING