West teams bolstered by Nets’ breakup

First it was Kyrie Irving to Dallas. Then came Kevin Durant to Phoenix.

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

Trade deadline day in the NBA on Thursday featured plenty of moves, with the Suns making the biggest as they chase the first championship in franchise history.

They acquired Durant by

sending Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, first-round picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029, and a first-round pick swap in 2028 to the Nets, who also sent T.J. Warren back to his original team in Phoenix.

Jae Crowder, who didn’t play this season in Phoenix, was moved to Milwaukee in the four-team trade. The Bucks sent Jordan Nwora, George Hill, Serge Ibaka and three future second-round picks to the Indiana Pacers.

Bridges, Johnson and Crowder helped the Suns reach the NBA Finals in 2021, and a return trip looks possible with Durant in their lineup.

“It’s a close group,” Coach Monty Williams said. “You can imagine that’s a tough blow to the group for the human side of it, but also exciting about what could be.”

The Lakers stayed busy up until the deadline with a couple more moves as they try to build a contender around NBA career scoring leader LeBron James. They added another big man in Mo Bamba from the Orlando Magic for former Arkansas Razorback Patrick Beverley, a second-round pick and cash considerations. The Magic said they would not require Beverley to report to the team.

The other team in Los Angeles was also busy. The Clippers landed Bones Hyland from Denver for two second-round picks as the third team in the swap with the Lakers and Nuggets, and acquired center Mason Plumlee from Charlotte for point guard Reggie Jackson and a 2028 second-round draft pick in another deal.

San Antonio added more assets to its rebuilding project by trading center Jakob Poeltl back to the Toronto Raptors for Khem Birch plus a first-round pick in the 2024 draft and a pair of second-round selections.

The Philadelphia 76ers are set to acquire forward Jalen McDaniels from Charlotte and send forward Matisse Thybulle to Portland as part of a multi-team trade that also involves multiple draft picks.