Recap of the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline
The 2023 NBA Trade Deadline arrived on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023, and in the weeks, days, and hours leading up to the deadline, many NBA teams made some notable moves; trading trades and picks in attempts to improve their current roster or to build for the future. In this article, I’ll be recapping some of the most important trades that occurred.
Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns: In what has to be the biggest trade of the season, the Brooklyn Nets traded superstar Kevin Durant, along with TJ Warren, to the Suns, in exchange for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, unprotected first-round picks in 2023, 2025, 2027, 2029, and a 2028 pick swap. This deal makes the Suns one of the top championship contenders in the league, with Durant joining a talented team that includes Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, and other solid players, and who was a mere two wins away from an NBA championship less than two years ago. For Brooklyn, after trading away Durant and Kyrie Irving, which I will touch on later, they have now shifted from win-now mode to building for the future, and this trade gives them some of the talented young players and draft picks they will need to try to have an effective rebuild.
Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks: As I just mentioned, the Nets traded their other superstar, Irving, to the Mavericks for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, second-round picks in 2027 and 2029, and an unprotected first-round pick in 2029. By pairing Luka Doncic with Irving, giving them the best backcourt in the league, the Mavericks have also become one of the NBA’s top championship contenders. This sets up a potential Suns vs. Mavericks rematch in the Western Conference Finals, and it goes without saying how entertaining that potential series will be. Touching on the Nets, this trade gives them a solid guard in Dinwiddie and more draft picks. However, it remains to be seen how their rebuild will go, as they have not traded both their superstars and can’t really tank themselves, as the Houston Rockets have a lot of their draft picks from the James Harden trade.
Russell Westbrook to the Jazz, Mike Conley to the Timberwolves, D’Angelo Russell to the Lakers Three Team Trade: In this deal, the Lakers received Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Malik Beasley from the Timberwolves, the Timberwolves received Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and second round picks in 2024, 2025, and 2026 from the Jazz. The Jazz received Westbrook, Damian Jones, Juan Toscano Anderson, and a 2027 first-round pick from the Lakers. This is an interesting deal for all three teams. The Jazz are adding to their stash of first-round picks as they try to rebuild, the Lakers acquired some solid players to help Lebron James and Anthony Davis make a run to playoffs, while the Timberwolves added a solid point guard in Conley that should help them also compete for a playoff spot.
Josh Hart to the New York Knicks: The Portland Trail Blazers traded Hart to the Knicks in exchange for Cam Reddish, Svi Mykhailiuk, Ryan Arcidiacono, and a protected 2023 first-round pick. I may be biased, as I am a big Knicks fan, but I really like this trade for the Knicks. They received a solid guard in Hart that will contribute a lot to the team with his defense and rebounding abilities, which should definitely bolster their playoff chances. Furthermore, the three players they gave up didn’t play much for them, and the first-round pick they gave up is lottery protected and will turn into four second-round picks if it ends up in the lottery. For the Blazers, I think this is a solid trade as well, as Reddish could contribute for them, and they were able to add what will most likely be a first-round pick.