NBA News

No move was bigger than Phoenix Suns' agreement to trade for Kevin Durant. But the Lakers and Mavericks look stronger after deals of their own.

Hours before the Durant trade surfaced, the Lakers agreed to trade Westbrook to the Jazz in a three-team trade that included a package of draft picks and players headlined by Minnesota’s D’Angelo Russell. Then last year, despite setting a franchise regular-season wins record, they ended their season with an embarrassing blowout loss to the Mavericks in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals. He eschewed the lectern, using it only to hold a bottle of water he sipped from during questions. Durant, 34, improves the team immediately, and dramatically. He spent the afternoon at the team’s practice facility strategizing with Jones. But every once in a while Golden State notches a signature win, like its Christmas game, that reminds everyone why this team has won four championships in the past 10 years. It had been difficult to know what to make of the West for much of this season. 20 but have developed a reputation for stumbling in the playoffs. The Warriors have had a confusing season as well. On Christmas, the Grizzlies faced Golden State, then struggling in 11th place. The Dallas Mavericks acquired the disgruntled but dynamic Kyrie Irving from the Nets to pair him with Luka Doncic, the star 23-year-old guard. No team is dominating, not even the Nuggets, who have led the conference since Dec.

The NBA trade deadline had plenty of league-shifting trades as Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook will finish the 2022-23 season with a ...

Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Russell Westbrook, and D'Angelo Russell were all moved, marking a significant midseason shift. All of those players figure to make ...

This could wind end up building credibility for the franchise with free agents who now know they won’t be traded in the event of a season-ending injury. That no big fish was linked to Williams, and no teams were said to have been in advanced talks to potentially land the 2019 first-round pick is a bit of a surprise. It wouldn’t be surprising to see trade talks kick back up in the offseason, though.

Spencer Dinwiddie and George Hill are returning to the teams that helped shape their careers, while D'Angelo Russell and John Wall will face some questions ...

[Bruno Fernando](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4277952/bruno-fernando) to the [Atlanta Hawks](/nba/team/_/name/atl/atlanta-hawks) [Justin Jackson](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3138156/justin-jackson) to the [Oklahoma City Thunder](/nba/team/_/name/okc/oklahoma-city-thunder) [Mikal Bridges](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3147657/mikal-bridges), [Cameron Johnson](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3138196/cameron-johnson), Crowder and a plethora of picks. [Jakob Poeltl](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3134908/jakob-poeltl) to the [Toronto Raptors](/nba/team/_/name/tor/toronto-raptors) [Poeltl reunites with the Raptors](/nba/story/_/id/35620520/toronto-raptors-get-center-jakob-poeltl-trade-spurs) in a trade that sent center [Khem Birch](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2578240/khem-birch) to the [San Antonio Spurs](/nba/team/_/name/sa/san-antonio-spurs) along with picks. [Spencer Dinwiddie](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2580782/spencer-dinwiddie) to the [Brooklyn Nets](/nba/team/_/name/bkn/brooklyn-nets) [Dinwiddie returned to Brooklyn as part of the trade](/nba/story/_/id/35594375/sources-nets-trading-star-guard-kyrie-irving-mavericks) that sent [Kyrie Irving](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6442/kyrie-irving) to the [Dallas Mavericks](/nba/team/_/name/dal/dallas-mavericks). [Eric Gordon](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3431/eric-gordon) to the [LA Clippers](/nba/team/_/name/lac/la-clippers) [John Wall](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4237/john-wall) to the [Houston Rockets](/nba/team/_/name/hou/houston-rockets) [Wall was dealt back to the Rockets as part of a three-team trade](/nba/story/_/id/35623830/sources-clippers-boost-backcourt-eric-gordon-bones-hyland) between Houston, the [LA Clippers](/nba/team/_/name/lac/la-clippers) and [Memphis Grizzlies](/nba/team/_/name/mem/memphis-grizzlies). [Boston Celtics](/nba/team/_/name/bos/boston-celtics) sent Jackson back to the Thunder, including two draft picks, for [Mike Muscala](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2490089/mike-muscala). Payton could end up playing a lot more minutes with the Warriors in the coming weeks due to [Stephen Curry](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3975/stephen-curry)'s left leg injury. and [Jalen Green](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4437244/jalen-green). [Grading every trade](/nba/insider/story/_/id/35511287/2023-nba-trade-deadline-grades-every-deal) [Trade tracker](/nba/story/_/id/34098541/nba-trade-tracker-grades-details-every-deal-2022-23-season)

Aside from Cleveland and Chicago, every team made a trade as more power shifted to the Western Conference and draft picks were in high demand.

Portland and Brooklyn both ended up with five future second-round picks, and the Nets collected four first-rounders from Phoenix in the Durant trade. But both could leave, too, putting the Wizards in position where they lose both for little in return. Washington didn’t trade either player with the idea of possibly re-signing both in the offseason. With Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nik Vucevic, the Bulls are 26-28 and fighting for a play-in spot. Both teams made minor moves at the deadline, and nothing wrong with that. It will be worth watching how this plays out in the offseason. By the 2023 trade deadline, Durant was sent to Phoenix, Irving to Dallas, Harden to Philadelphia last season and Nash was fired seven games into this season. Golden State also traded five second-round picks to Portland for Gary Payton II, who the Warriors let walk in free agency in the summer after he played a key reserve role on the 2022 championship team. The Lakers improved with the Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba acquisitions while only giving up one first-round draft pick. When healthy, Durant, Devin Booker and Chris Paul form one of the NBA’s most unstoppable offenses. Nearly 36 hours after assuming controlling interest in the Phoenix Suns, owner Mat Ishbia, the CEO and chairman of United Wholesale Mortgage, stunned the league, acquiring Kevin Durant from Brooklyn for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and four first-round picks. While trades are done for the year, the buyout market is next, and there will be wanted players if they are bought out: Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley, John Wall, Danny Green, Will Barton, Serge Ibaka, Terrence Ross.

Brooklyn got back Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and four unprotected first round draft picks. The KD blockbuster comes on the heels of Brooklyn's decision to ...

GP2 was a key piece for the Warriors on their run to the championship last season. Eric Gordon is also returning to the Clippers, the team that drafted him way back in 2008, to provide some bench firepower for a team dreaming of making an NBA Finals run. Kennard gives the Grizzlies a dead-eye three-point shooter to space the floor around Ja Morant. The Blazers got a great defender in Thybulle for some second round picks. Wiseman never had the talent to be a top pick, he never fit well with the Warriors’ system, and he was never on Stephen Curry’s timeline. He’s a nice addition for a Hawks team that needed another wing after trading Kevin Huerter over the offseason. [I gave the Warriors a C grade at the time when they drafted Wiseman](https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2020/11/18/21574371/nba-draft-grades-2020-timberwolves-warriors-bulls-lamelo-ball) with the No. The Knicks own two first round picks this year — Dallas’ and their own — and were rumored to be looking for defensive help on the perimeter in exchange for one of them. Milwaukee is also sending Jordan Nwora, Serge Ibaka, and George Hill to the Pacers in the deal. [sending back a top-six protected first round pick in 2024](https://twitter.com/JLew1050/status/1623709303554048002), which feels like a lot to give up for a player who is as limited offensive as Poeltl. The Spurs finally pulled the trigger on a Poeltl trade after years of his name being in rumors. [Brooklyn Nets](https://www.netsdaily.com) to the [Phoenix Suns](https://www.brightsideofthesun.com).

A staggering 49 NBA players and 44 draft picks (plus two pick swaps) were moved on deadline day.

[David Michineau](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/michida01.html?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&utm_campaign=2023-02-08_bbr). [Kevin Durant](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/duranke01.html?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&utm_campaign=2023-02-09_bbr)and [T.J. 33, the Thunder will receive either the Rockets’ or Trail Blazers’ 2023 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable). 32, the Thunder will receive either the Mavericks’, Heat’s, or Trail Blazers’ 2023 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable). [story](https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2023/02/thunder-sending-mike-muscala-to-celtics.html)) [story](https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2023/02/eric-gordon-to-clippers-luke-kennard-to-grizzlies-in-three-team-trade.html)) [story](https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2023/02/lakers-nuggets-magic-clippers-to-roll-three-trade-agreements-into-single-deal.html)) [story](https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2023/02/raptors-to-acquire-jakob-poeltl-from-spurs.html)) [story](https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2023/02/lakers-jazz-wolves-finalizing-three-way-trade.html)) In total, a staggering 49 NBA players were on the move on deadline day, plus four draft-and-stash players. [story](https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2023/02/kevin-durant-trade-officially-completed-as-four-team-deal.html)) In the week that followed, NBA teams completed a total of 15 trades, including 12 that were finalized on deadline day.

The Brooklyn Nets pulled the plug, the Phoenix Suns went all-in, the Golden State Warriors dumped James Wiseman and the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles ...

Conley is a more distribution-minded player and a more savvy pick-and-roll operator, giving Edwards more room to blossom as a lead scorer and rekindling a mutually-beneficial partnership that he enjoyed with Gobert on the Utah Jazz. The Clippers lived up to their reputation as one of the league’s most aggressive teams, shipping out Kennard, Wall, Reggie Jackson and draft assets in various deals that returned Mason Plumlee, Bones Hyland and Eric Gordon. While a major knee injury stunted Wiseman’s ability to mesh with the Warriors, he represents a prototype that is tricky to fit in the modern NBA. The Milwaukee Bucks know firsthand how difficult Durant can be in a tight series, and the Philadelphia 76ers lacked the frontcourt defensive personnel to cleanly match up with him. Despite an unusual amount of conference parity, no one will be sailing through to the West finals this year. After years of revolting scandals, Durant is the perfect face for a new era. Durant’s presence will remove the pressure on Paul to be anything more than a facilitator and ensure that Booker won’t get stranded as a solo star down the road. To be clear, Phoenix has never had a more accomplished player than Durant, and this deal could surpass the 1992 trade for Charles Barkley as the most consequential in franchise history. Together, Joe Tsai, Sean Marks and Steve Nash ceded too much power and authority to their superstars, creating an environment that ultimately alienated Durant, Irving and James Harden. Thanks to Coach Monty Williams, Chris Paul and Devin Booker, the Suns already have those questions answered. In Phoenix, Durant will have a legitimate chance to win his third title — and his first without Curry. Leaving Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors to bet the rest of his prime on a partnership with the unreliable Irving was the worst decision of Durant’s career, and it produced just one playoff series victory in three-plus years.