"That’s the only time in my coaching that I’ve cried” – Monty Williams reveals getting emotional during Kevin Durant trade
One of the biggest stories of the 2022-23 NBA season was Kevin Durant's trade to the Phoenix Suns at the trade deadline in February. In exchange for Durant, the Suns had to give up Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges, which was one of the hardest decisions the organization had to make.
Phoenix coach Monty Williams discussed what transpired in an interview with Nick Friedell. The 2021-22 Coach of the Year detailed the things that happened and how emotional he had become when the two key stars were traded to the Brooklyn Nets.
"If I was going to lose Cam and Mikal, it better be for Kevin," Williams said as he processed the news of the trade. "You know what I mean? It's like you're crying in one eye and then the other eye is kind of bright.
"That's the only time in my coaching that I've cried (after a trade). None of us went back to bed that night. I called Mikal, I called Cam, and they had been up with the players."
“That’s the only time in my coaching that I’ve cried [after a trade].”
Monty Williams on letting go of Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson in KD trade
(via @NickFriedell) https://t.co/7JhEYAiRS2
Both Bridges and Johnson were beloved by the organization and the Suns fanbase. Their time with the team was incredible, and both forwards had significant reasons as to why Phoenix reached the NBA Finals in the 2020-21 season.
Now, the two are leading the Nets with their stellar offensive game and are battling it out against the Philadelphia 76ers in this year's playoffs. Both lead Brooklyn in scoring, and their experience in the postseason with Phoenix has been a huge factor in their current playoff run.
Bridges is leading the Nets in scoring with 25.5 points while making 54.5% of his shots. Johnson isn't far behind as he trails his teammates with 23.0 ppg.
The Nets fell to the 76ers in Game 1, but Mikal Bridges looked the part as a high-volume scorer in a playoff setting.
And for a Nets team that was criticized for not landing a star after trading away Durant, that’s a win. Story: clutchpoints.com/nets-news-mika…
You might also be interested in reading this: Kevin Durant speaks on the impact of being on multiple superteams, says it prepared him to play with versatile players
How has Kevin Durant impacted the Suns since the trade?
Kevin Durant is one of the best stars the league has ever seen. Any team that has a chance to acquire him will get a significant amount of assistance in their quest for a championship. This is what has been happening to Phoenix since trading for the slender forward.
In his first two playoff games against the LA Clippers (with the series tied 1-1), the Suns have started to explore how to utilize him in their system. In Game 1, he wasn't as aggressive in scoring, but that changed in Game 2, when he contributed competitively, especially in the fourth quarter.
There's still a ton to explore in Kevin Durant's involvement with the Suns offense. As they take on the Clippers on Thursday night, the team could take advantage of a short-handed Los Angeles squad. It was reported earlier that Kawhi Leonard will not play in Game 3 due to a knee sprain.
BREAKING: Kawhi Leonard is OUT tonight due to a knee sprain https://t.co/4ksuOBcJYY
Also read: “Mystique of being an MVP is not what it once was” – Kevin Durant opens up on shrinking value of NBA awards