How the 2023 trade window reshaped the Western Conference

The final bell has rung and the NBA trade deadline is behind us. As a result, the league has scattered and come back looking different. As expected, the final stretch leading up to the deadline was the craziest. But now that it has concluded, fans can get their sleep and process everything that had just happened.

For a lot of teams, the trade window is an opportunity to build themselves. Some who have good chances want to solidify their case as contenders, while others who have already waved the flag attempt to make something respectable out of their misery.

But the three biggest stories from this trade period involve throwing in the towel on failed experiments. Trials that starred big names but produced little to no results. One by one, let’s quickly run through the stars of this manic episode of NBA shuffle. All of which changed the landscape of the wild wild west.

The Suns are shining in Phoenix

I woke up in the middle of the night to find out that Kevin Durant was traded to Phoenix around 1 A.M. I laid awake for another 45 minutes, just taking it all in and scrolling through Twitter after alerting a Slack channel full of sound sleepers about the news.

The thought of Durant, Chris Paul, and Devin Booker playing together would make any opposing team tremble. And the fact that they completed the trade and kept DeAndre Ayton adds emphasis to the scare.

Are the Suns suddenly the favorites to win the west? Perhaps they are. But this quick turnover warrants quick results. They have the talent to compete but their biggest enemy is injury. While I do not doubt that they will make a post-season run, I will immediately waive their title chances if one of their stars gets hurt right before or during the Playoffs.

This is a very promising collection of skill and star power. Not only does the pressure fall on Durant and company but also on the Suns’ new owner Matt Ishiba, who made a big splash diving into the deep end with this move. Currently fifth in the conference, the Suns can shine brighter and hotter now that they have one of the sport’s most prolific scorers.

The damage is done for the Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers had back-to-back franchise nights. On Tuesday, LeBron James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record and became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. And on Wednesday, with less than 24 hours to spare, they traded Russell Westbrook out of Los Angeles. A three-way deal with the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves will bring D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt to LA. But is this move enough to correct the disaster that was Westbrook’s acquisition?

The Lakers went from a franchise known for rings and trophies to fluently speaking in apologies and exclamations. The Westbrook experiment was destined for failure from the beginning. The Lakers breaking up a championship team for star power absolutely dimmed the light from their 2020 title run.

Now, will this trade save the Lakers’ season? Absolutely not. LeBron should cherish his late-career milestones because as great as he is, his days as a champion are over. The Lakers are 13th in the west, and the Nuggets, Kings, Grizzlies, and Clippers are solid up top. The Suns and the Mavericks just got massive reinforcements. The Warriors could still get healthy and make a run postseason. Meanwhile, the Lakers could not beat the Thunder for crying out loud.

They will not be celebrating a title anytime soon. But they can at least celebrate how they have corrected a massive mistake, perhaps too late.

A new era has begun in Dallas

The Phoenix Suns were not the only team to benefit from the Brooklyn Nets experiment getting vetoed. Days before Kevin Durant’s blockbuster trade, Kyrie Irving paved the path out of Brooklyn for him.

While teams around the NBA were busy making calls and arranging deals, Irving made his debut with the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. As expected, Irving lifted his new team to victory against the LA Clippers and did it without his new accomplice, Luka Doncic.

https://twitter.com/dallasmavs/status/1623735945303592960

With 24 points, five assists, and four rebounds, Irving looked good in the Mavs’ white and blue. His ability to run the offense worked its magic as the Mavs scored a season-high 41 points in the first quarter. They would proceed to beat the Clippers 110-104.

The Western Conference is anyone’s game. Unlike the east, which has a definitive favorite in the Boston Celtics, the standings hold almost no power on the upper half of the west. Kyrie’s debut with the Mavs is far from telling what’s to come ahead in the west once Doncic and Durant heal from injuries.

Remember when Ja Morant said, “we’re good in the west”? He was not right then, and he’s even wronger now. The Western Conference has officially become more fruitful in terms of talent. Part of me wishes we could fast-forward to the playoffs, but the other part of me is excited to see how the matchups come to life and who remains the last team standing.