How every NBA trade deadline deal affects the Orlando Magic – Early Edition
How every NBA trade deadline deal affects the Orlando Magic
Kevin Durant on the move
I do not mean to bury the lead here. The Kevin Durant deal is a seismic trade that changes the league fundamentally.
The Phoenix Suns are 8-2 in their last 10 games to climb above the Play-In line. But they did not look like a championship-level team with Devin Booker out.
Now that he is back, this team is re-aiming itself for a title. And that is what bringing in Durant will do.
BREAKING: The Phoenix Suns are closing in on a trade to acquire 13-time NBA All-Star Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, league sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 9, 2023
Phoenix was disappointed with its second-round exit from last year. This is the kind of deal the franchise has been working on since the offseason when Durant originally requested a trade.
That is obviously on the top end. The most immediate effect of this is the Brooklyn Nets still look like a pretty decent team.
The Nets get a budding young star in Mikal Bridges to build themselves around. And they have always played scrappy — hello Cam Thomas and his surprising scoring burst the last three games — when they have been down their stars. Brooklyn was a title contender because of their stars but also because of how good that supporting cast is.
The Nets are currently sixth in the Eastern Conference and well clear of missing the playoffs. There is no reason to think Brooklyn will not be Playoff-bound. Do not think Orlando is going to pass Brooklyn in its quest to make the postseason.
But this deal should be a bit instructive of what it will take to get a superstar player when the Magic are ready. The Suns did not have to give up any of their key star players to get this deal done. They kept Devin Booker, they kept Chris Paul and they kept Deandre Ayton.
It cost them one player on his rookie extension contract, a disgruntled veteran and another young player nearing the end of his rookie deal. Plus a boatload of draft picks.
The Magic have all of those elements. They have a ton of draft picks to spend. They have several players on their rookie extensions (Wendell Carter, Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac) and even a good veteran in Gary Harris if that is what they want to do.
The point is the Magic have all the pieces to make a superstar trade when they are ready. Now may not be the time, but it could be soon.