The Phoenix Suns' trade for Kevin Durant will go down as one of the biggest trades in NBA history. Although Durant is dealing with an injury, his arrival to the desert could bring the Suns back to championship contention. Phoenix paid a huge price to get him — one that Devin Booker was willing to let the team make, but not easily.
Booker admitted that, although he wanted Phoenix to land Durant, seeing Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson head to the Brooklyn Nets was hard, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.
“I just wanted it to happen. But it’s tough,” Booker said, via The Athletic. “We obviously got back one of the best players ever to play, but we lost a few young studs (to the Nets) too in Cam and Mikal (Bridges). I guess that’s part of the business, but it’s definitely tough. There were rumors and speculation throughout the summertime that (a Durant deal) was gonna happen, and then it was out of the question once they started playing well in Brooklyn. So you know, the Kyrie (Irving) situation went down and that opportunity presented itself again.”
Bridges and Johnson played key roles on the Suns for years. Now, Bridges is emerging as a star for the Nets while Johnson also starts as they pursue a playoff spot. Phoenix also surrendered four draft picks to pair Durant with Booker, forming one of the best scoring tandems the league has ever seen.
It's hard to be against a trade that nets Kevin Durant but giving up two young, good players can understandably leave a conflicting feeling behind. The Suns are betting that Durant, Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton can lead the team to the ultimate prize.
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