Phoenix Suns' Playoffs Collapse to Benefit Brooklyn Nets

The Kevin Durant trade and eventual collapse of the Suns is now going to benefit the Nets.

Apr 26, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) and Phoenix Suns forward / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Brooklyn Nets' failed experiment of trading for James Harden -- which gutted their depth -- to build a superstar trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Harden really, really hurt them at the time of the collapse. They sold out their future draft capital and control just to fall short of reaching the pinnacle of the NBA -- winning a championship.

Some franchises don't learn, though. Since the Los Angeles Lakers' 2020 championship victory, the teams to have won a championship have been mostly homegrown. The Milwaukee Bucks built primarily through the draft, the same goes for the Golden State Warriors, who capped off one more championship for their dynasty, and the Denver Nuggets are the most recent examples.

Teams that successfully build through the draft, using trades to find seasoned, complimentary pieces to star players has been a recipe for success over recent years, debunking the theory that selling out for superstars and compiling top-heavy talent is the way to go.

The Phoenix Suns didn't learn that lesson. A team that was built through the draft, with the addition of Chris Paul, reached the finals on their own. They traded future picks and their depth to acquire Durant, pairing him with Devin Booker and Paul. That failed, but it replenished some of the Nets' lost draft picks.

In fact, the Nets acquired four unprotected first-round picks from the Suns. When the Suns fell short with Paul and Deandre Ayton on the roster, they traded and moved off both of them, acquiring Bradley Beal in what was a shortsighted move.

On Sunday, the Suns were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves. The acquired big three doesn't seem as if it is going to work, as they were a net negative in the series when sharing the floor together.

The Suns clearly need to make moves, though they have no control, cap space wiggle room or much of anything to build with. They're either going to have to move on from their big three, really hurting them after selling out to acquire them, or hold onto a declining core and waste Booker's prime.

While the Nets don't control their own draft picks, owning four unprotected firsts from the Suns in the future certainly looks like it's going to end up paying off, and the Nets should have learned how to better build their team while being able to leverage their future.