The Phoenix Suns pulled off one of the biggest trades in NBA history when they sent Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks, and one pick swap for Kevin Durant, one of the greatest scorers of all time. Simply put, the Western Conference playoff race is heating up. The Suns' addition of Durant may then motivate some contending teams to push their trade chips for a player like OG Anunoby, who could, perhaps, defend the 34-year old forward come postseason time.
And that appears to be exactly what's happening as we inch closer and closer to the 3 PM ET, February 9 NBA trade deadline.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Kevin Durant trade could have the unintended effect of “escalating” OG Anunoby's trade value, particularly among Western Conference playoff contenders, as they try to gear up for the possibility of going up against the Suns' newest superstar.
There are a few teams in the West that could conceivably give the Toronto Raptors the return they so desire for the 25-year old 3 and D forward. The New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies, among other teams, possess the requisite young prospects and draft capital to make a potential Anunoby trade worthwhile for the Raptors.
One thing's for sure – Kevin Durant's arrival in the Valley should motivate teams to push their chips on the table. After all, it's rare that the NBA has this much parity, and as scary as the Suns could be at full strength, there are still no guarantees that they would run roughshod over the league. OG Anunoby may not be the difference-maker Durant is (only a select few are), but he should be a good fit wherever he goes given his skillset, and he's sure to improve any team he'll be playing for.
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