Kevin Durant Moved to Brooklyn in a Complex Sign-and-Trade
On July 7, 2019, Golden State completed a sign-and-trade sending superstar Kevin Durant to Brooklyn. The Nets received Durant and a conditional future draft asset that ultimately was associated with the 2025 second-round No. 48 Javon Small. The Warriors took back newly signed guard D’Angelo Russell, plus Shabazz Napier, Treveon Graham and a traded-player exception. The players and financial mechanism were needed to complete a complicated transaction after Durant had elected to join Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn. It was not a simple free-agent signing without any exchange of value. Golden State chose an expensive young guard and salary flexibility rather than seeing Durant depart without an incoming contract. Brooklyn acquired one of the best scorers in NBA history, but knew he was recovering from a ruptured Achilles and would not play immediately.
Durant Returned to Superstar Production but Missed a Season
Durant missed the entire 2019-20 season with his Achilles injury, making the patience required by the Nets part of the original bet. When he returned in 2020-21 he averaged 26.9 points in 35 appearances, and his scoring rose to nearly 30 per game during subsequent Brooklyn seasons. He gave the club outstanding playoff performances, including the hard-fought 2021 series with Milwaukee, but Brooklyn did not reach the NBA Finals while he was on the roster. Durant later left for Phoenix in a separate 2023 trade, so that return should be analyzed on its own. The Nets A inherited grade values superstar talent and legitimate on-court excellence, while acknowledging that injury, roster instability and postseason setbacks prevented the dream pairing from delivering a championship.
Russell Offered Golden State Another Asset Path
Russell scored at a high rate in 33 Warriors appearances during 2019-20 before being traded to Minnesota in February 2020. That later exchange brought Andrew Wiggins and draft compensation back to Golden State, illustrating how an incoming young guard could have value beyond his direct playing minutes. Napier and Graham were moved again quickly and did not become Golden State starters from this particular agreement. The inherited Warriors D grade focuses on losing Durant and the uneven direct return, but does not erase the opportunity to convert Russell into a useful subsequent asset package. Brooklyn obtained the standout scorer; Golden State received contracts and a new route to future roster construction. Counting Wiggins as a player sent by Brooklyn in July 2019 would be incorrect.
Final Verdict
Nets Win. Brooklyn receives A for Kevin Durant, who returned from Achilles surgery to score 26.9 points per game in 2020-21 and nearly 30 in later Nets seasons, plus a conditional pick. Golden State earns D for D’Angelo Russell, Shabazz Napier, Treveon Graham and a trade exception; Russell was subsequently moved for other assets.