Woj:

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.

Nets gets unprotected picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029, source tells ESPN.

CP3, Durant, Booker, Ayton all on max deals if im not mistaken?

Late push to win the championship this year, on borrowed time with cp3 getting old and Booker supposably wanting to move.

Booker, Ayton and Paul are all contracted to 24/25, as is Durant. If CP3 stays remotely useful, they're in a good position.

I wonder how much getting otherwise stuck with Simmons was a factor for Durant. He might've had hopes earlier on, but not much recently would've been convincing for him. He's just about a $40m deadweight right now.

Damn.

No secret, but now watch the Nets move off Ben to the highest bidder that's dumb enough to take him on.

Nobody is offering anything of value for Ben Simmons. The Nets will have to include some sweeteners (draft picks, good / promising players) if they want to find a team to take him on.

What is the issue in Brooklyn now?

I think it's a shame because Vaughn is doing a great job turning this team around.

The Suns aren't messing around they obviously want pay back on the 36ers next pre-season!

I don't really follow it anymore but you would have to think the Suns are red hot favourites for the tile now with Durant, Booker, Ayton and CP3.

Isaac, pretty sure Durant's deal expires in 2026 doesn't it?

What is the issue in Brooklyn now?

Zodiac, that's interesting & thanks.

I think they were title contenders though?

Vaughan was doing a great job and added some defensive steel to their game.

I really think they would have been up there.

I also think they will surprise with their acquisitions and Vaughan as coach.

Simmons must be feeling a bit nervous now.

Does he actually want to be a basketballer? I am not convinced...

The nets are weird now. They're almost right back to the season directly before KD and Kyrie showed up. A bunch of good players but no star. A promising young big in the middle and Dinwiddie at PG.

I'd genuinely be surprised if they don't ship a few guys off now for whatever they can get. Finney-Smith might get them a first rounder from a team that is hoping to get OG.

Isaac, pretty sure Durant's deal expires in 2026 doesn't it?

This is Chris Paul's best chance yet to win a title

But I still hope Boston wins it. I can't stand Durant and his incessant trade requests and constantly joining other superstars.

*Professional basketballer

Nets at 5th spot will absolutely free-call down the ladder these last 20 or so games

Can Paul stay healthy is the only question. Wall and Westbrook are likely buyouts, Wall could be a very good insurance plan in Phoenix. Westbrook still too much of a question mark for the Sun's to probably look at. Wouldn't mind him going to the Heat actually and going full villain.

Nets really are a basket case. After the long fallout of the Celtics trade they finally start progress on a young feel good team to then blow it up after going for KD and Kyrie. Now are maybe in an even worse place. And based on that team you can't see Simmons being showcased to get anything back.

Looking forward to the Sun's/Mavs next game and that rivalry.

Nets have some young talent and a gazillion picks. Durant would've wanted out

Suns with serious chance of winning this year or next year.

Win win trade

Highly unlikely Westbrook ends up at the Suns as all the talk was if he got traded to the Nets for Kyrie he would be quickly traded to another team as Durant wouldn't want him there.

Nets don't have that many picks. They got the Suns picks, but they don't own many of their own from previous trades, which means there's no point tanking. This is their step towards rebuilding for sure, but not owning your own picks means you're not necessarily selling everything.

Would imagine Sun's picks won't be that high, as well as the protected, I think, Philadelphia one. Then Houston get there's plus swaps later when you would think Rockets would be a lot better than Nets. So nothing in it for Brooklyn to blow it up and have a fire sale.
And saw that Nets passed on a deal where they could have gotten Bam, sent Simmons to Utah and Mitchell to Heat. Bit of an oops there!

Will be huge to see where all the buyouts go, especially the guards.

Now are maybe in an even worse place.

Yeah its gonna be interesting to see what they're like the rest of the season.

Lots of good players, but now nobody great. Simmons, Dinwiddie, Johnson, Bridges, Claxton, Thomas, Curry, O'Neal, DFS could all be starters on good teams. Then you've got a couple of young guys like Sharpe and vets like Harris and Mills who could/should be rotation players. I'm probably forgetting someone too.

They clearly already have a decent coach, but apologies if that is what you meant anyway, Isaac.

Ultimately an inconsistent strategy from the Nets

Should've got as many picks as possible for Kyrie. They traded for Dinwiddie etc for Kyrie, but then 4 draft picks for KD.

Now they're in no-mans land. Moderate talent and moderate picks.

The KD deal was a decent deal for them once they'd already offloaded Kyrie. But the bigger issue is the lack of consistent strategy across both deals.

And yeah I know Bridges is no slouch. But still- if you were going the rebuilding draft route, do it consistently across both trades.

MC, yes, that's what I meant. Good foundation, in theory.

LV, I think with Kyrie they had to take in players as a last chance to convince Durant to stay on. Then, given Durant was pretty fixated on Phoenix, that might've limited what they could ask for. Kinda hedged their bets in getting more decent talent and picks to trade or use down the track.

Simmons only saw 14 minutes today on a team full of new players.

Firstly, is he being nursed because of injury?

If not, hardly a vote of confidence by your coach if you can't even see increased role or minutes in a transformed team as an existing member.

Getting Dinwiddie didn't help Ben at all though.