Report: Kevin Durant trade talks percolating, span more than 5 teams
The Phoenix Suns and Kevin Durant business partner Rich Kleiman have met "multiple times" to consider trade scenarios, reports Shams Charania.
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Five primary teams have expressed interest in Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant as his current squad and business partner Rich Kleiman have met “multiple times over the past week” to consider trade scenarios, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks have shown interest in Durant dating back to the February trade deadline, as previously reported by ESPN.
“Several wild-card suitors” have checked in with the Suns on Durant possibilities in the past 10 days, Charania added.
It’s expected that Phoenix will attempt to find a deal before the June 25 draft.’
The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy reported that the Knicks are not among the suitors in the Durant trade market.
Why would the Suns work with Kevin Durant on a potential trade?
Phoenix is working with Durant to find a suitable trade partner, unlike its attempt to stealthily work out a trade with the Golden State Warriors months ago.
In February, the Suns were close to lining up a Durant trade to Golden State, but he remained steadfast in wanting to finish the year with Phoenix.
He has one year and $54.7 million remaining on his current contract and this summer would be eligible to sign a two-year extension. The possibility of him signing an extension upon a trade will impact the return the Suns get in any deal.
In other words, Durant’s desire to sign an extension with his new team should help Phoenix, under first-year general manager Brian Gregory, recoup value for the 15-time All-Star.
Durant would be eligible to sign a two-year, $112 million extension starting July 6 if he’s on a new team by then. The number would increase to $124 million if he waited to sign the extension six months after being dealt.
Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in 2024-25 and will turn 37 before the start of the coming season.
The Suns went 36-46 this past season, missing the playoffs, and are now expected to reshuffle the roster around Devin Booker while getting under the second tax apron that limits their trade and financial flexibility.
Dealing Durant is the easiest path to check all of those boxes for Gregory and the newly introduced head coach, Jordan Ott.
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Comments
63 Comments
The difference is that Houston made the playoffs and are hesitant to pull a "Suns" and trade several good players for a 37 year-old KD. San Antonio on the other hand don't want any more youngsters, want to make the playoffs and apparently aren't bring Chris Paul back. Fox and Castle are the starting guards and San Antonio plans on drafting guard Dylan Harper with the #2 pick. Barnes $19 million required to match salaries and he is in KD's starting spot. Keldon Johnson at $17.5 must also be used. Sochan at $7 million makes the math work. Add the Spurs pick at 14th and Ishbia selects Jase Richardson. With their own 29th Suns select a center, maybe Broome or Kalkbrenner. Spurs have a plethora of other picks to add to close the deal. KD ironically becomes the Spurs veteran leader and gets his last bag of money.
LOL
And he’s still making better decisions than the mich st front office and James jones would.