Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were both traded from the Brooklyn Nets and LA Lakers respectively on Wednesday night, as the drama continues to unfold in the NBA hours ahead of Thursday’s 3:00 pm transfer deadline.
In what was arguably the biggest shock of the transfer window, Durant was reportedly part of a blockbuster trade between the Nets and Phoenix Suns.
The two-time NBA champion was traded to the Suns for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, and four unprotected future first-round picks ESPN reports.
The trade comes just days after former teammate Kyrie Irving joined the Dallas Maverick following a contentious season with the Nets after contract negotiations reportedly broke down.
Durant had previously requested a trade away from Brooklyn in support of Irving last summer whose initial contract extension talks were stalled due to his decisions to not get vaccinated.
Durant, however, rescinded the request as the Nets and Irving agreed to opt into his final year at the franchise.
Given Irving’s eventual exit, It would perhaps not be a farfetched thought that the trade influenced Durant’s move away from the team as well.
In a less surprising trade, Russel Westbrook’s time as a Lakers player ended on Wednesday after being traded to the Utah Jazz.
That deal reportedly tied into a three-team, eight-player trade among the Lakers, Utah, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
The deal sees the Lakers get Malik Beasley and forward Jarred Vanderbilt from the Jazz as well Timberwolves guard Dinagelo Russel.
That exchange includes Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones, and their first-round pick in 2027 to Utah with Westbrook.
Minnesota on the other hand, gets Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker from Utah, along with three second-round picks for giving up Russel.
Westbrook, who looks to have been on his way out following, was seemingly spared following the Lakers’ failure to secure Irving, however, that proved only a delay in the inevitable.
Thursday’s announcement came as little surprise to many as Westbrook rarely seemed settled in the system around Lebron James and Anthony Davis, which saw him spend the majority of the time as a bench player.
