Phoenix Suns Forward Kevin Durant Talks About Brooklyn Nets Rebuild

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant commented on the Brooklyn Nets’ rebuild and future, per comments picked up before the teams’ game on Wednesday night by NBA insider Michael Scotto.

Durant said: “I want to see this franchise do well … The most important thing with a rebuilding group is the assets. The product on the floor may look … it might be inconsistent some games … they beat us early in the season and looked great … and then you lose to the Clippers by 40 or 50 and that might not look great, but when you look at the big picture, you’ve got young guys that are getting experience and playing time, you’re building assets and getting future picks.”

The Nets have 31 draft picks over the next seven years. Broken down, that’s 15 first-rounders and 16 second-rounders. That’s a massive war chest, helped by the team’s recent trade activity. Dennis Schröder went to the Golden State Warriors for a return that included three second-rounders, and Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton went to the Los Angeles Lakers in an exchange that yielded Brooklyn three further second-rounders.

Evaluating the Nets’ current roster, the organization doesn’t appear to have any long-term commitments. The buzziest trade name ahead of the NBA’s Feb. 6 deadline remains Cam Johnson, but taking in the 28-year-old wing’s contract isn’t very straightforward as teams work through the league’s new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

“Hopefully, you can draft up and put the team together well, so I think they’re walking in the right direction,” Durant added. “But I think the fans definitely want to see some great basketball on the floor, and I think it’s coming for this team.”

The Nets, now 14-31 after the team's most recent loss to Durant's Suns, are favored to pick high up in the 2025 NBA Draft. Brooklyn’s fans will spend the next few months looking at Tankathon standings, rather than anything to do with the Eastern Conference. Duke freshman Cooper Flagg is widely considered to be the next number one pick, but the top of the 2025 draft has a rewarding rolodex featuring Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, VJ Edgecombe, Kasparas Jakucionis, Khaman Maluach and others.

The Suns made a splashy move of their own recently. On Tuesday, Phoenix sent its 2031 first-round pick to the Utah Jazz for the least favorable of three first-rounders in 2025, 2027 and 2029. The Suns have been linked to Jimmy Butler, who was suspended for two games by the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. Butler is in the last guaranteed year of his current deal. The Nets were previously tentatively connected to the 35-year-old by The New York Post, but there hasn’t been any more recent speculation.

Durant previously commented on his stint in Brooklyn during a recent podcast appearance. He averaged 28.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists, and was a three-time all-star, as a Net.

"I just wanted something new," Durant said. "A smaller vibe, a different vibe … Brooklyn was [riding] with me, for sure. I liked it out there. I loved it out there.”

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