Irving, Durant trades bolster West teams before NBA deadline

The breakup in Brooklyn is rebuilding some contenders in the West.

Trade deadline day in the NBA arrived Thursday with news of a blockbuster. The Nets had agreed overnight to deal Durant to the Suns for a package that included Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and additional draft compensation.

Another big name was moved a day earlier when the Lakers agreed to send Russell Westbrook to Utah as part of a three-way deal with Utah and Minnesota that brought D’Angelo Russell back to Los Angeles.

More moves figure to be made before the 3 p.m. EST deadline, with the Nets perhaps not done reshaping their roster. Those already agreed to were confirmed to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not yet official.

The Suns just got Devin Booker back from a groin injury that had sidelined him since Christmas and soon will add Durant to the lineup when he recovers from a sprained knee ligament.

Those two, plus Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton, could make this Phoenix team more powerful than the one that won an NBA-best 64 games in the 2021-22 season, but then flamed out with a second-round loss to Dallas.

The Mavericks also may be stronger after acquiring Irving to pair with Luka Doncic. Irving asked out of Brooklyn last week, frustrated with his negotiations for a contract extension, and he was headed West a few days later.

Then it was Durant, who had gone to Brooklyn with Irving in 2019.

“I just love the competition now that we can be in the same conference,” Irving said.

A day after LeBron James broke the NBA’s career scoring record, the Lakers moved to get him more help by getting Russell from Minnesota, and guard Malik Beasley and forward Jarred Vanderbilt from the Jazz. The deal sent Westbrook to Utah after the 2017 NBA MVP never thrived alongside James and Anthony Davis.

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