The NBA’s trade deadline officially passed at 3 p.m. ET, marking the conclusion of a lively 24 hours that shook up both conferences.
All in all, 12 trades were agreed upon in the last 24 hours. Things were calm for a few days after Kyrie Irving was dealt over the weekend. Then the Lakers, Timberwolves and Jazz got things going Wednesday evening with a three-team deal involving Russell Westbrook, D’Angelo Russell and Mike Conley, among other players and picks.
The most shocking and impactful news of the trade period came out after midnight on the East coast when it was reported that Kevin Durant was headed to the Suns in exchange for a haul of draft capital and players. Phoenix heads into the home stretch of the season with newfound expectations as a possible favorite to come out of the West, as they did two seasons ago, while other teams, such as the Clippers, made upgrades along the margins.
