Last Thursday, on the eve of free agency commencing in the NBA, Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant submitted a trade request away from the team.
Durant has played for the Nets for three years alongside Kyrie Irving, but it has been a tumultuous time for the 33-year-old forward, with his best finish in Brooklyn coming in the second round in 2021.
Now, after an embarrassing loss in a 4-0 sweep to the Boston Celtics in the first round of this postseason, Durant believes that a new landing spot will be necessary for him to add another NBA championship to his resume to the two he currently has.
Former NBA champion and coach, Avery Johnson, joined CBS Sports HQ to explore the possible trade destinations for Durant and who he believes have the best chance to acquire his services.
He stated: “It’s definitely the Phoenix Suns. The Miami Heat will have a lot to say about that but the Suns is the best landing spot.
“To go to the Suns, who went to the finals last year and who suffered an upset loss in that game seven against the Dallas Mavericks. He’s not going to Golden State, he’s not going to the Clippers or the Celtics, this (Phoenix) is going to be his best spot.”
According to Oddschecker, the Suns (+200) lead the race with the bookmakers as Durant’s team for next season, followed by the Brooklyn Nets (+700), Philadelphia 76ers (+800), Miami Heat (+900), and Chicago Bulls (+900).
When quizzed on whether adding Durant would make the Suns the favorite for next season’s title, Johnson gave a resounding answer.
“Oh 100%, also because Durant is going to be in the Western Conference with the Golden State Warriors, he’s got something to prove. I would love to see a Western Conference matchup between the two.”
