With an increasing sense in league circles that Giannis Antetokounmpo will remain in Milwaukee, trade speculation is ramping up around the second biggest name on the market: Kevin Durant.
The Phoenix Suns and Durant's representation — led by KD's business partner Rich Kleiman — are sorting through offers, working together to find a trade that works for all involved, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
Teams that have expressed interest in Durant, sources said, mainly feature the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks. Several wild-card suitors have made inquiries on Durant in the past seven to 10 days, sources said...
Suns officials and Kleiman will continue to meet on trade conversations -- with talks expected to escalate before the NBA draft later this month.
Because Durant is entering the final year of his current contract ($54.7 million), he has some leverage in the situation. Teams are not going to give up the kind of haul Phoenix is seeking to rent Durant for a year. Whoever trades for Durant will likely sign him to an extension, one that is at or near the maximum of two years, $122 million.
The Suns reportedly are looking for depth and players who can help them retool quickly around Devin Booker, as well as draft capital. With the Suns over the second apron of the luxury tax, a third team (or more) is almost certainly involved in any Durant trade to make the numbers work under the more restrictive CBA.
Here's a closer look at the teams mentioned.
• San Antonio Spurs. Durant to the Spurs is the rumor with the most heat, there is a growing sense in some circles they are the front runners. The idea for the Spurs is that trading for Durant, pairing him with Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox, and having him as an example for about-to-be-drafted Dylan Harper, makes the Spurs a dangerous team next season in the West and helps build a culture for the future. Durant is not on the timeline of those other players, but the Spurs could view this as the best path to being a threat in the deep Western Conference next season. The trade would likely involve something like Devin Vassell or Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, Harrison Barnes and this year's No. 14 pick. There is zero chance the Spurs are giving up the No. 2 pick for KD.
• New York Knicks. It's unclear just how serious these talks are. While a Karl-Anthony Towns for Durant works as the core of a trade (and Devin Booker and KAT have Kentucky ties), it would take a third team coming in (because the Suns are over the second apron, so some money has to go elsewhere) and for a Suns team looking to add depth and draft picks, it's hard to see a path to a trade both teams would like. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News reports the Knicks are out of the running.
• Houston Rockets. While Houston certainly put together a package of picks — they control the Suns' 2027 and 2029 first rounders — and young players that would interest Phoenix, reports from people around the Rockets from the start have said they have a limited interest in Durant because he does not match up with the timeline of the rest of their core (Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, etc.). If the Rockets could get Durant on a steal of a deal it's one thing, but whether they would put together the best offer is another question. A trade could involve Green, this year's No. 10 pick and some other players, and it would require a third team to make the math work under the second apron.
• Minnesota Timberwolves. This is a team that has been to the Western Conference Finals for consecutive years and is looking for the player who can put them over the top. Durant might be that guy, and he is Anthony Edwards' idol. Maybe the biggest challenge is logistics, with both teams over the second apron, this trade would take at least three and likely four or more teams to make work. Reports out of Minnesota say Jaden McDaniels and Naz Ried are off the table in any trade for Durant, so it would likely be Julius Randle (unless the Suns have interest in Rudy Gobert), an assortment of less expensive players, this year's No. 25 pick and/or another first, and a whole lot of players and picks going to other teams.
Miami Heat: Durant to Miami is intriguing, but it's hard to see how this trade comes together. For it to work for Miami, it has to keep Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, and they'd prefer not to give up Kel'El Ware (if I'm the Suns, I demand he is in the deal). Who else on the Heat roster would the Suns want? Andrew Wiggins, Nikola Jovic and some future firsts? Maybe Duncan Robinson. Again, it's just hard to see how this all comes together, but apparently the sides are talking.
