Windhorst: 'It Ain't Over' for Kyrie Irving to Rejoin Kevin Durant with Suns in FA
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving might not be done playing together quite yet.
"If you think this is over, it ain't over," ESPN's Brian Windhorst (h/t RealGM) said of the possibility that Irving could join Durant on the Phoenix Suns this coming offseason as a free agent. "Kyrie really was interested in being in Phoenix, so just start thinking about that."
The Brooklyn Nets traded Irving to the Dallas Mavericks earlier this week and then agreed to trade Durant and T.J. Warren to the Suns for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four unprotected future first-round picks (2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029) and a 2028 first-round pick swap, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
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For now, Durant and Irving may be on a collision course for a playoff matchup.
The Suns and Mavericks are both 30-26 and would face each other in the first-round series between the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds if the playoffs began Thursday. There would already be quite the backdrop to such a matchup seeing how the Mavericks eliminated the top-seeded Suns in shocking fashion in the second round of last season's playoffs, but Durant and Irving would add another layer.
Phoenix figures to be a significant championship threat as currently constructed with Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Durant and Deandre Ayton making up arguably the NBA's four-man group.
Yet the chance to add Irving during the upcoming offseason could be intriguing from the front office's standpoint, especially if Durant would be interested in a reunion after they were teammates with the Nets.
The Suns would likely need to make that happen via a sign-and-trade since they're projected to be over the salary cap this offseason, but they could use Paul or Ayton in such a deal.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported the Suns already offered Paul as part of a trade package for Irving to the Nets. Phoenix also didn't re-sign Ayton this past offseason until it matched an offer sheet he agreed to with the Indiana Pacers.
Paul, 37, is a future Hall of Famer, but having Irving, 30, at point guard would help the Suns get younger as they attempt to compete for multiple championships with the core of Booker and Durant.
