Suns trying to reunite Kevin Durant with Nets teammate ahead of trade deadline
The Suns are reportedly trying to reunite Kevin Durant with one of his former teammates from the Brooklyn Nets -- Royce O'Neale.
According to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, per NetsDaily, the Suns have offered Nassir Little and two second-round picks to the Nets for O'Neale, who is on an expiring $9.5M contract. The report added that the Cavaliers and Pacers have also had exploratory talks with the Nets on a potential O'Neal trade.
It was previously reported that the Nets were seeking at least a first-round pick or an equivalent player for O'Neale, a prototypical 3-and-D wing coveted around the league for his defensive versatility and perimeter shooting. However, with the NBA trade deadline barely hours away, the Nets could be forced to settle for a lesser offer for O'Neale, per The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie.
"I don’t think O'Neale will return a first-round pick, but he might yield some lower-level draft capital for a Nets team that needs all the youth it can find, regardless of the franchise's overall direction," Veceniewrote in his trade deadline preview article.
For the Suns, the addition of O'Neale could prove to be vital, given his familiarity with playing alongside Durant and his ability to guard multiple positions. The Suns currently have a very thin rotation, with only Eric Gordon and Josh Okogie receiving consistent minutes off the bench. Going into the playoffs, Suns coach Frank Vogel would love to have a lockdown defender and career 38 percent three-point shooter such as O'Neale to count upon.
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