NBA Market: The signing with which Kevin Durant's Phoenix Suns seek to improve their performance

Juan López - 16 Jan 2025 | 11:12
Nick Richards Mercado NBA phoenix suns Kevin Durant

A pivot lands to improve the interior game, give defensive rest to KD, and try to intimidate a bit more.

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Nick Richards, new player for Phoenix Suns.

NBA Trade News: The Charlotte Hornets finalized a trade that sent center Nick Richards and a second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns, in exchange for small forward Josh Okogie and three second-round picks. This move was announced on Wednesday.

As part of the deal, Charlotte traded a 2025 second-round pick originally belonging to Denver, while Phoenix sent a 2026 second-round pick from the Nuggets and two 2031 second-round picks (one from Denver and one from Phoenix) to the Hornets, as reported by ESPN sources.

For the Suns, who currently rank last in the NBA in points contributed by their starting center, Richards is a key addition in that position. The 7-foot player is averaging 8.9 points and 7.5 rebounds in 21 games this season, his fifth with the Hornets.

In the nine games he has started this season, Richards has shown even better performance, with averages of 11.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. Additionally, he has shot 65% from the field in the last four seasons, ranking as the fifth-best field goal percentage in the league during that period (minimum 800 attempts), according to ESPN Research.

Meanwhile, the Hornets have significantly boosted their draft capital over the past year, accumulating two first-round picks and eight second-round picks through various trades since January 2024. They will also bring in Okogie, a defensive-focused small forward who, like Richards, has a team-friendly non-guaranteed contract for the 2025-26 season.

In Phoenix, Richards is expected to compete for the starting center position, where the Suns have primarily used Mason Plumlee and rookie Oso Ighodaro in recent weeks. Veteran Jusuf Nurkic, currently out with the flu, had been benched in two consecutive games on January 6th and 7th before being completely removed from the rotation.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mercado NBA: El fichaje con el que los Phoenix Suns de Kevin Durant pretenden mejorar su rendimiento