Suns acquire ex-Kevin Durant teammate in trade with Nets

Apr 6, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) against the Denver Nuggets in the first half at Footprint Center. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Phoenix Suns and the Brooklyn Nets are teaming up for another trade.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Thursday that the Suns are trading for Nets forward Royce O’Neale. It is a three-team transaction with the Memphis Grizzlies in which Phoenix will also acquire Grizzlies forward David Roddy. The Suns are sending a pick swap and forward Yuta Watanabe back to Memphis as well as three second round-picks and additional salaries back to Brooklyn.

O’Neale is the big one for Phoenix here. He was teammates with Durant on the Nets for a few months last season before the former MVP was traded to the Suns. O’Neale is a playoff-tested defensive dynamo who screws things up for opposing offenses at a versatile 6-foot-6 and is also a career 38.1 percent shooter from three.

Most of the recent rumors had suggested that the Suns would be trading for a much more controversial forward at the deadline. But it appears that they are instead going for O’Neale and Roddy, two sturdy forwards who will hopefully have a big impact in their rotation during the postseason.