Report: Nets are potential third team to help Suns trade Kevin Durant
"League sources have said the Nets were brought in as a potential third-team in a deal construct, which would have helped move money and contracts to help both teams reshape their rosters," Action Network's Matt Moore reported on Wednesday. Moore was discussing the Phoenix Suns as they explore trades for Kevin Durant after the 2024-25 season ended in disappointing fashion with the superstar.
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"No idea what they were getting or sending, but I would speculatively bet Nic Claxton to Phoenix was part of those talks," Moore continued. Brooklyn has been navigating this season with the patience of a team rebuilding for the long term, but they are also keeping their options open along the way.
Plenty of people around the league have maintained that the Nets would be best served by using the league-leading cap space they have to assist teams in trades with the goal of acquiring draft capital and/or young players. With teams like the Suns and the Boston Celtics that have moves to make, but need some help, Brooklyn could be the team that help others while benefitting at the same time.
As of this writing, the teams that Durant is interested in being traded to are the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs, but the Heat and Rockets would need a way to open up enough salary to take on Durant's contract. If Moore's report is any indication of what is happening in the background, the Nets are trying to take advantage of other teams looking to make changes this offseason.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Report: Nets are potential third team to help Suns trade Kevin Durant
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