Kevin Durant to Phoenix Suns? Why the possible transfer from Brooklyn Nets is more complicated than it seems

Kevin Durant shook the NBA world on June 30 by announcing that he asked Brooklyn Nets be pierced According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sportsthe Suns are Durant’s preferred destination.

What would be the obstacles for such an exchange to take place, and what could it look like?

Which Suns players would the Nets be interested in acquiring?

Devin Booker and Chris Paul have a contract for two more seasons, but the Suns would obviously be very reluctant to give up any of them. Durant has expressed his affinity for Booker’s game in the past, which explains, at least in part, his request to go to Phoenix.

Michael Bridges it would be an obvious centerpiece to include in a trade. He will be in the first year of a four-year, $91 million extension that pays him 21 million in 2022-2023. Bridges is one of the best players in the league to defend and shoot 3-pointers and a very valuable asset.

DeAndre Ayton would be the other centerpiece that would make sense in this deal. Ayton is a restricted free agent, and his maximum contract would start at $31 million. If he were signed and immediately traded to the Nets, he could sign a up to four years of duration. Although Ayton is a very promising youngster, the Suns have shown lukewarm interest in keeping him. Rumors about his departure have been going on for a long time.

Making a transaction to sign Ayton and transfer him immediately is very complicated due to the base year compensation (BYC) rule. Trades between teams without cap space require entry and exit salaries to be equal. But BYC player salaries count 50% as starting salary and 100% as starting salary.

If that sounds confusing, you’re not the only one who thinks so. That rule makes equal pay extremely complicated in any trade involving Ayton.

the suns can get around this problem by including Ayton and Bridges together for Duranttying some other minor contracts, and working with a third team that has cap space to offload some minor contracts, along with some small compensation from the Draft for his help.

The Suns also have some solid role players who could be traded: Jae Crowder, Landry Shamet, Dario Saric, Cam Payne, Cam Johnson, and Torrey Craig.

Do the Phoenix Suns have draft picks to trade?

the suns they have all their future first and second round picks. They have no additional picks from other teams.

Yes, they would be limited by the Stepien rule to send selections from consecutive years, something that cannot be done. Many teams, like the Hawks in their trade for Dejounte Murray or the Nets in their most recent trade for James Harden, have included the possibility of exchanging selections in intermediate years to add value to a transfer.

Does Kevin Durant have a no-trade clause?

Kevin Durant does not have a no transfer clause in your current contract. He has signed for four years guaranteed.

Kevin Durant’s contract
Season Age Base salary
2022-2023 3. 4 42,969,845
2023-2024 35 46,407,433
2024-2025 36 49,856,021
2025-2026 37 53,282,608

Can Kevin Durant force his trade to the Phoenix Suns?

Devin Booker Chris Paul Phoenix Suns

Probably not. Even if Durant prefers to go to certain teams, the Nets can trade him for the best offer they get. That may or may not be from the Suns, depending on what other teams offer.

Stars can normally exert more control over where they are pierced. But as Durant is tied for four years of contract, there is less risk of flight if you don’t like your new situation.

Durant would have to refuse to play the games and forgo his huge salary. to exert influence over his new team. We have seen that situation with Ben Simmons at Philadelphia 76ers, but it is rare. Those four guaranteed years give Durant far less control than if he only had one or two seasons left on his contract.

Why would the Nets want to take good players from the Suns instead of trying to bottom out?

Teams that lose their stars often try to hit rock bottom to retrieve some draft picks and find a new figure. The Nets can’t afford that luxury.as they gave up their future to get james harden of the Houston Rockets.

The Rockets have pick trades with the Nets in 2023, 2025 and 2027. They also own the Nets picks at 2024 and 2026which are not protected.

In other words, if the Nets are bad, they will not have an advantage in draft elections due to how much they owe the Rocketswhich would be the big winners.

The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent the NBA or its organizations.

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Kevin Durant to Phoenix Suns? Why the possible transfer from Brooklyn Nets is more complicated than it seems