Suns Labeled as Biggest Winner From NBA Trade Deadline

It still doesn't feel real.

The Phoenix Suns have Kevin Durant on their roster, along with a very capable TJ Warren to fill in spots left by Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Jae Crowder - all of whom were sent over to the Brooklyn Nets to make the trade happen (along with four first-round picks).

The Suns needed a splash, and they made it happen. Now, Phoenix tidies themselves as one of the top championship contending teams in the league with a lineup that features Durant, Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton.

CBS Sports' Sam Quinn says the Suns were the biggest winner at the trade deadline:

"Sometimes, these things can be simple. When Kevin Durant is on your basketball team you have a chance to win a championship. Before this trade, the Suns probably didn't. Their near-misses over the past few seasons relied on the sort of technical precision that comes with flawless chemistry and impeccable luck. Well, Chris Paul is finally beginning to succumb to the rigors of age. Jae Crowder held out hoping to get traded. Deandre Ayton signed with another team over the summer only to see the offer sheet matched. Whatever factors allowed them to outperform their talent over the past two seasons simply didn't exist anymore. Now they don't need to. The Suns are going to bludgeon you the old-fashioned way: with sheer star power," said Quinn.

"Is there any duo of wing defenders in the NBA who can guard both Durant and Devin Booker? Heck, the idea of Chris Paul picking apart a team's third-best defender in crunch time is just as terrifying. Phoenix miraculously managed to keep Ayton in the deal. He's spent less time near the rim this season than he ever has in his career. That's going to change now based purely on the number of open dunks and layups he's about to receive. There is not a better combination of four players in all of basketball than the core Phoenix now has, and that's especially true late in games, when mid-range shot-creation is the single most valuable skill in basketball. The Suns outscored their opponents by 107 total points in the clutch last season. Now they're adding Kevin freaking Durant to that mix. You'd better hope you beat this team in the first 43 minutes because you don't stand a chance in the last five.

"... Less than two years ago we watched Durant come an inch or two away from beating the same Bucks team that ended Phoenix's title hopes with a one-legged James Harden and no Kyrie Irving by his side. He doesn't need much, and he still has an All-NBA sidekick, a Hall of Fame point guard and a max contract center to work with. Don't overthink this. The Suns are going to be awesome."