The Brooklyn Nets traded Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns in a blockbuster move. The Suns will send forward Jae Crowder  to the Nets, and Brooklyn will also receive Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and four unprotected first-round draft picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2028.

After the Nets traded Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, Durant reportedly met with Brooklyn’s front office to discuss “the direction of the franchise and its ability to be a championship contender.” Apparently, those conversations were not fruitful.

Durant previously requested a trade with a strong preference to join the Suns with Chris Paul and Devin Booker. Neither Paul nor Booker have won an NBA title, and the addition of Durant could have vaulted them to championship favorites.

Durant is in the first year of a four-year, $194 million extension he signed in August 2021 when the Nets had a Big 3 of Durant, Irving and James Harden. None of them no longer wear a Nets uniform.

The Kyrie Irving melodrama is finally over, the Nets shipping him to Dallas in the end of an era. 

Brooklyn traded Irving and veteran forward Markieff Morris to the Mavericks in return for guard Spencer Dinwiddie, forward Dorian Finney-Smith, an unprotected 2029 first-round selection and 2027 and 2029 second-rounders. 

Talented but troubled, Irving arrived in 2019 along with star Kevin Durant, whose status with the Nets will now be thrown into question. Irving was averaging 27.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds, the eight-time All-Star brilliant when he plays. 

In the end, Irving’s unavailability outweighed his ability, suiting up for just 143 out of a possible 278 games in Brooklyn and seeing his relationship with the organization break down over the past two years.

Oakland may be out of professional sports teams sooner rather than later.

The future of the Athletics in Oakland has been in limbo for several years, but MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred thinks a new destination is on the horizon.

Manfred told Sirius XM that he’s no longer optimistic they will remain in Oakland, and a move to Las Vegas is likely.

The A’s and Oakland officials had been in discussions regarding a new stadium as part of the Howard Terminal project, but deadlines passed without progress. Because of this, negotiations for the project have been pushed to next year, which A’s president Dave Kaval said would “all but doom our efforts” to stay in Oakland.