Kelly Oubre Jr. Says Suns Players Said 'We Made It' After Trade Deadline Ended

Phoenix Suns small forward Kelly Oubre Jr. said the team's players celebrated after not being moved ahead of the 2020 NBA trade deadline Thursday.

"The first thing we said when we saw each other this morning was, 'We made it.' Everybody here loves each other," Oubre told reporters Friday. "To leave this group of guys would be heartbreaking. But we're all here, so it's a blessing."

The Suns have lagged behind in the Western Conference playoff race despite a promising core led by Oubre, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton (who was suspended 25 games earlier in the season). They are five games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the final playoff berth in the West with a 21-31 record.

Marc Stein of the New York Times reported Phoenix received calls from multiple teams, including the Orlando Magic, about Oubre before the deadline, but the right offer never materialized.

The 24-year-old New Orleans native is enjoying a breakout year in his first full season with the Suns after being acquired in a December 2018 trade with the Washington Wizards. He's averaged 19.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.0 threes, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals through 50 appearances.

After making it through the deadline without being moved again, Oubre posted a career-high 39 points in a 127-91 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday.

"I mean he didn't get 40, so I'm not impressed," Booker joked after the win.

All told, the Suns have more high-end talent than their record would suggest. They rank in the middle of the pack in efficiency—16th in both offensive and defensive, per ESPN—and have an equally average scoring differential (minus-0.7), which suggests their record should be closer to .500.

Potential can only carry so much weight, however, especially since Phoenix is in the midst of a nine-year playoff drought. The team will eventually need to deliver results for the front office to keep the core together.

For now, Oubre and Co. are happy to have made it through the deadline while still teammates, and the focus can shift toward making a second-half surge toward the postseason.

A convincing victory over the 33-19 Rockets is a step in the right direction.