The Phoenix Suns made the biggest splash of the NBA trade deadline by acquiring Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, and owner Mat Ishbia said it was not a tough decision to make, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.

“This was the right decision for the team and for the business and for the players,” Mat Ishbia said, via Mannix. “It wasn't a tough decision. We really didn't want to give up some of the guys, because we love those guys. They were winners and we didn't want to give them up.”

The Suns gave up Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Jae Crowder along with four first-round picks in the deal to acquire Durant, but Ishbia said it was ultimately the right decision to try to maximize a championship window.

“But at the end of the day the right decision was, what do we do to maximize our team for today and for the next three to four years?” Ishbia said, vis Mannix. “This is going to be what the Phoenix Suns are about. The vision is not, ‘Let's win a championship.' Of course we'd like to. But the vision is, ‘We're going to be the leading franchise in the NBA. How do we do that?'

As far as the financial part goes, Ishbia said it was not a problem, specifically the luxury tax.

“I think that's part of it,” Ishbia said, via Mannix. “The money part was not an issue. So we took that off the table right away. Then it was, ‘what's best for our team?' Is Kevin going to help us compete for a championship now? What's Kevin Durant's contract? We've got three more years after this year, so we're not having someone for 25 games.”

Even with the financial commitment, and losing players like Mikal Bridges, acquiring Durant was a no-brainer for Suns owner Mat Ishbia.