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There is still time go until the NBA trade deadline, but a lot has already happened. Over the past week, countless big names have already been moved. While other deals can still surface, here are some of the key winners thus far.
3 major winners of the NBA trade deadline:
1) Dallas Mavericks
Kicking things off is the Dallas Mavericks. They made a big splash this NBA trade deadline by acquiring Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets. While many consider this move to be a gamble, it is still a massive upgrade in the backcourt.
With the addition of Irving, the Mavericks now have one of the top guard duos in the enitre NBA. Luka Doncic was in the midst of an MVP season and now he has a superstar running mate. Defensive issues aside, this duo has the ability to light up any opponent on a nightly basis.
Now that Luka has a legitimate running mate by his side, the Mavericks are poised to make another deep run in the playoffs this year.
2) LA Lakers
The next big winner so far this deadline is the LA Lakers. Fresh off LeBron James becoming the league's all-time leading scorer, the front office gets him help for a playoff push. On Wednesday night, LA executed a deal to move Russell Westbrook and bring in D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt.
Depth was a key issue of concern for the LA Lakers, but that is no longer the case. Coming out of the NBA trade deadline, they are poised to make a run at the playoffs.
With all the new additions, LeBron James and Anthony Davis have a proper mix of defense and outside shooting around them. Even though some teams have gotten better in the West, they should still be in the mix to secure a postseason spot.
3) Phoenix Suns
By far this biggest winner of the NBA trade deadline thus far is the Phoenix Suns. New owner Matt Ishbia recently took control of the team and instantly made his mark known. With Kyrie Irving gone, the Brooklyn Nets also decided to move on from Kevin Durant in a mega-deal.
Even though the Suns had to part with some key pieces, they are now the frontrunners to win the NBA title. The duo of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker is a nightmare for any opposing defense. Especially with a point guard like Chris Paul running the show.
No matter what happens between now and 3 p.m., Phoenix will likely be the biggest overall winner of the deadline. Bringing in an MVP-caliber player like KD has completely changed the trajectory of the franchise moving forward.
