It is possible, and maybe probable, that it is impossible to “win” a trade in which you lose Kevin Durant. But in dealing the all-world forward to the Suns, the Nets chose a path that could lead to better days.

Maybe Mikal Bridges grows into the star the Nets believe he might become. Maybe the picks and prospects they have acquired develop, and the team grows into a consistent winner.

But maybe the most telling sign about whether the Nets acted properly at the trade deadline will concern whether they lure another star like Durant back to Brooklyn.

Those stars were on display Sunday night at the All-Star Game in Utah, the same festivities at which Durant and Irving plotted their union in 2019. Back then, cameras caught the two stars (then with the Warriors and Celtics, respectively) palling it up, leading to speculation that was well-founded: Durant later acknowledged they “solidified” their plans to join forces the following season.