Everyone wondered why Brooklyn Nets would suffice themselves with no superstar players when they traded away Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant for players like Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges, Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson, etc. However, this team of mismatches is doing quite well.
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Since the deadline, the Nets have played 14 games, most of them without Ben Simmons, and still, they have squeezed out 7 wins. Let’s drill down to what the Mavs and the Suns have been doing in that period.
The Nets didn’t lose much in Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant trade
Both the Suns and the Mavericks became better title contenders as soon as they recruited two of the best players in the league. However, the Mavs have won just 5 games out of their 13 since trading for Irving. The Nets in that period won seven out of fifteen.
Wins since the Kyrie trade:
7 — Nets
5 — Mavericks pic.twitter.com/FJtlr1BDYa— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 12, 2023
Funny? Isn’t it? The Suns, on the other hand, have managed well without Bridges and Johnson, yet they have the same amount of wins as the Nets. Even with KD being in and out of the lineups, they have 7 wins in 11 outings. The Nets are 7-7 in that period.
Who is the real winner in those trades?
If the Suns get their hands on the first championship of the franchise, the KD trade would be worth it even though it was a sacrifice with what could have been a strong future for them. The Mavericks? Already looking like a loser in the Kyrie trade. And if either party decides not to continue after this season without any success, it would be hysterical.
Not to forget, the Nets also received six first-round picks and two second-round picks from those trades other than some decent players. We can now clearly see who is the real winner in both trades.
