Kevin Durant trade grades: Phoenix Suns receive rave reviews for deal with Brooklyn Nets

© The Associated Press Did the Phoenix Suns win the Kevin Durant trade with the Brooklyn Nets?

Early reviews are in for the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets blockbuster trade involving Kevin Durant.

And they are overall very favorable toward the Suns.

Check out how NBA writers say the Suns and Nets fared in the huge NBA trade deadline deal, which one writer called “a home run for Phoenix.”

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More:Phoenix Suns’ NBA title odds surge after Kevin Durant trade

CBS Sports: Suns get an A-, Nets receive a C- for Kevin Durant trade

Sam Quinn writes: “Is there any duo of wing defenders in the NBA who can guard both Durant and Devin Booker? Heck, the idea of Chris Paul picking apart a team’s third-best defender in crunch time is just as terrifying. Phoenix miraculously managed to keep Ayton in the deal. He’s spent less time near the rim this season than he ever has in his career. That’s going to change now based purely on the number of open dunks and layups he’s about to receive. There is not a better combination of four players in all of basketball than the core Phoenix now has, and that’s especially true late in games, when mid-range shot-creation is the single most valuable skill in basketball. The Suns outscored their opponents by 107 total points in the clutch last season. Now they’re adding Kevin freaking Durant to that mix. You’d better hope you beat this team in the first 43 minutes because you don’t stand a chance in the last five.”

Sporting News: Suns earn an A+, Nets land a B- for Kevin Durant trade

Benyam Kidane writes: “From a financial perspective, this trade is a win for the Suns, who not only raise their championship ceiling with Durant, but also move on from the disgruntled Crowder. They no longer have to worry about paying Johnson, who will become a restricted free agent this summer. Sure, they lose depth and two young players who fit perfectly in their system, but… it’s Kevin Durant!  Getting Warren back in the deal is a nice sweetener for the Suns. Warren only made 26 appearances for the Nets this season, but as a career 35.5 percent 3-point shooter, he can seamlessly slide in as an off-the-bench scoring threat. With the Western Conference wide open, this move is a home run for Phoenix.”

More:Kevin Durant trade reaction: Phoenix Suns’ trade with Brooklyn Nets stuns NBA world

Sports Illustrated: Suns receive an A+, Nets get a C+ for Kevin Durant trade

Rohan Nadkarni writes: “It’s also not only a win-now move. Durant is signed for three more years after this one, which means he could be with Booker through the latter’s prime. (It also may make it easier for Phoenix to move on from Paul this summer.) It really is a truly shocking move. Over the weekend, it was reported Paul could be headed to Brooklyn in exchange for Kyrie. Instead, the Suns were rejected and fell into an even better offer: Keep Paul and add Durant. Players of KD’s caliber are so rarely on the trade market. Phoenix took advantage of an incredible opportunity.”

Draft Kings: Suns land an A, Nets earn a C+ for Kevin Durant trade

Chinmay Vaidya writes: “Sure, Phoenix gave up some wing depth with Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Jae Crowder all going back to Brooklyn. Keeping Deandre Ayton as part of the deal is awesome for the Suns. Assuming Durant comes back after the All-Star break, the Suns can now throw a lineup of him, Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Ayton and Landry Shamet out there. That can take down any team in the league in the postseason. Only giving up four first-round picks outright is great considering what the Timberwolves gave up for Rudy Gobert. This was a big win for the new ownership group.”

Look back:Kevin Durant has a history with Devin Booker, Monty Williams

ESPN: Suns get an A, Nets receive a B

It writes: “Nonetheless, if you’re going to gamble all tradeable first-round picks on a single addition, Durant is undoubtedly the best player gettable. Ayton’s stagnant development and Bridges’ uneven performance in a higher-usage role this season were indications that the Suns couldn’t have it both ways by competing for a championship now and maintaining a contending core for after Paul’s inevitable departure.”

Fansided: Suns receive an A, Nets an A+ for Kevin Durant trade

Cody Williams writes: “Yes, the treasure trove of picks and young players that the Suns sent is truly massive. This is Durant, though. This is the type of player who, once he’s back healthy, can take a much worse team than Phoenix to the NBA Finals and perhaps to a title. Now a team with a championship ceiling just added one of the best players in the league. Worth it.”

More:Jerry Colangelo shares thoughts on Kevin Durant

A different view of Suns trade with Nets

Not everyone saw the trade in such a favorable light for the Suns, however.

Fox Sports gave Phoenix a C- for the deal for Kevin Durant. It gave Brooklyn an A+.

It wrote: “It’s not that a combination of Durant, Paul and Booker can’t work. They have complementary skills. It’s what it cost, or rather, what they paid — three players who did the bulk of the dirty work the last two-plus years and a big chunk of the draft capital to replace them. It feels like a hasty move by the Suns when the Nets should’ve been the ones sweating.”

More:Phoenix Suns landing superstar Kevin Durant in blockbuster trade with Brooklyn Nets

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kevin Durant trade grades: Phoenix Suns receive rave reviews for deal with Brooklyn Nets