The 10 Biggest winners and losers of the NBA trade deadline
By Ari Schwartz
Loser: Brooklyn Nets
No better way to transition into the Nets losing Kevin Durant than to talk about the Suns getting him. Don’t forget, Brooklyn also lost Kyrie, which really was what caused either the Nets or Durant to part ways; it’s still unclear how it went down.
Admittedly, this was a pretty good return from the Nets’ point of view. No package could truly be enough for KD and Kyrie but acquiring three picture-perfect three-and-d wings in Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Dorian-Finney Smith, along with a starting-caliber point guard in Dinwiddie, and seven first-rounders plus five seconds is pretty close.
With that being said, Brooklyn still lost their two best players and has transformed from a contender to a rebuilding team literally overnight. It’s unfortunate because the Nets were actually building something this year before the first domino fell in Kyrie’s trade request. But time moves fast in the NBA, and after four straight years of early playoff exits, it’s understandable that their stars grew impatient.