Big-game hunting Warriors called Suns with Kevin Durant trade interest
Feb 3, 2025, 1:15 PM
The Golden State Warriors are big-game hunting, and we’re talking about bigger names than Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler, whose likelihood to land in the Bay Area had water dumped on it this weekend.
Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant is another of Golden State’s trade interests, as first reported by NBA insider Jake Fischer and confirmed by Arizona Sports‘ John Gambadoro.
Gambadoro reports Phoenix has taken several calls with teams interested in adding Durant, and Golden State has been “aggressive” to see if it could sway the Suns to trade away their star. As of now, the Suns aren’t expected to be considering such a deal.
Phoenix remains focused on somehow landing Butler or looking at smaller upgrades if that is off the table, Gambadoro reports.
Fischer writes in the latest Marc Stein newsletter that the Warriors have meanwhile tossed about the biggest of ideas to title-chase around Stephen Curry. They want to find a way to transplant both Durant and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James in San Francisco (James, for what it’s worth, is reportedly willing to move forward alongside new Los Angeles teammate Luka Doncic).
With regards to Durant, Fischer adds that the Suns appear to be hearing out teams’ offers.
Phoenix, entering Monday’s business, continued to signal that it does not plan to move Durant before the deadline, sources said, but the Suns are believed to be listening at the very least to various teams’ pitches for the 35-year-old scoring legend. Durant, meanwhile, is said to be aware of all this.
The Suns, mind you, are expected to maintain a very high asking price before they ever agreed to part ways with him. We’re talking serious draft capital and highly rated young talent. The Suns do have a level of interest in Jonathan Kuminga, sources said.
The noise comes on the heels of the Doncic trade to the Lakers, which Durant himself said Saturday could shift organizations’ willingness to consider dealing their stars.
“If he can get traded, anybody’s up for grabs,” Durant told reporters. “Players are held to a different standard of loyalty and commitment to a program. But the organizations don’t get held to that same standard from the outside world, whether it’s media members or fans. … It’s pretty wild.
“Start seeing stuff like that as an organization, you might get a little more courage to do some stuff when you see another team trade away somebody like that.”
Durant, of course, spent 2016-19 with the Warriors and won two titles with them.
He is averaging 26.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
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