The NBA trade deadline just came to a close, and there is a lot to talk about. This deadline involved some of the most trades in NBA history, with a couple being very valuable.

The first big trade of the deadline was between the Phoenix Suns and the Brooklyn Nets. In the late-night hours ahead of the trade deadline, Nets superstar Kevin Durant was traded to the Suns.

The blockbuster trade had Durant and T.J. Warren sent to the Suns for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Jae Crowder. The Nets also acquired four unprotected future first-round picks (2023, 2025, 2027, and 2029) as well as a 2028 pick swap.

This trade marks the end of the superstar experiment in Brooklyn, with Kyrie Irivng and James Harden having also been traded. According to ESPN, this trade was finalized after Durant put in his second trade request in only eight months.

Durant will now be paired up with superstars Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton in Phoenix. This superteam is almost sure to wreak havoc across the league.

The next big trade was that of fellow Nets superstar Kyrie Irving. The Brooklyn Nets traded Irving to the Dallas Mavericks in another massive deal. 

Irving, an All-Star starter, requested a trade on Feb. 3 after talks on a possible contract extension with the Nets broke down. He will now join his fourth team in seven seasons. 

The Dallas Mavericks received Irving and Markieff Morris, while the Nets acquired Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round pick, a 2027 second-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick. 

The Mavericks lost point guard Jalen Brunson to the New York Knicks in free agency over the summer, leaving Luka Dončić to have to carry the entire workload by himself. Now, Dončić will pair up with Irving for what could be the best backcourt in the entire NBA.

Kyrie is the first player in NBA history to average 25 points, five assists, and five rebounds while still getting traded mid-season. 

Jakob Flores, a senior and management major at GC, is a big New York Knicks fan and had a lot to say about the trade deadline.

“The trade that surprised me the most was the Kyrie trade because it does not seem like the right fit for him,” Flores said. “Honestly, I am upset with the moves we [the Knicks] made or did not make. Josh Hart is one of the additions we made, but I don’t see him having a huge impact.”

Michael Larruso, a sophomore business major at GC, is a Hawks fan and was pleased with the decisions from the front office.  

“I was happy about the moves we made,” Larruso said. “We added Dejounte Murray [prior to the season] and Saddiq Bey while getting rid of both Justin Holiday and Frank Kaminsky.”

The NBA trade deadline this year brought a lot of excitement and shocking trades, and we can only wait and see how they turn out for each team.