The NBA trade deadline from this season was one of the most exciting we have had in years. The Nets so called ‘blew up’ their team trading two stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The Lakers added depth to their roster picking up former all star DeAngelo Russel along with Jared Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, and Malik Beasley. The Suns and Mavericks made big moves adding Durant and Irving respectively, adding a new element to each team.

Kevin Durant recently made his debut for the Suns against the Hornets. Durant was able to score 23 points on just fifteen shots. The Suns also where able to pick up a 105-91 victory in their new stars debut. Durant already looks comfortable on the Suns roster; if this continues the Suns may be a threat to any team in the league. The Suns are less than two years removed from their finals appearance in 2021, adding a generational talent like Durant could put them over the top. Suns star Devin Booker has never been in a situation where he is not the number one threat on his roster, adding Durant could take a world of pressure off Booker.

Kyrie Irving being moved to the Mavericks was one of the more surprising moves of the last decade. The Nets received key role players in Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith. Irving has shown he can add a new dynamic to the Maverick’s roster. Luka Doncic has a league-leading 35.5 usage rate since entering the league half a decade ago. Kyrie may not add the same scoring as Durant will to the Suns, but he will definitely be an upgrade for Luka to be able to trust on the large stage.