Late on Tuesday night, rumors of Kevin Durant possibly switching teams (again) started to spread like wildfire. There was an outside chance the Phoenix Suns would pivot and trade their best player, but now, it seems like a stronger possibility than ever.
According to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of the glorious Substack they write for together, the Suns have explored the idea, and other teams see Durant being moved as more than just a passing rumor.
“There was a rising belief around the league Tuesday, as Thursday’s 3 PM ET trade deadline closes in, that the Suns could legitimately trade Durant after insisting for so long that they wouldn’t.”
That’s a bombshell, and it would be a much bigger deal if the entire NBA world wasn’t still reeling from the Luka Doncic trade over the weekend.
The Suns have disappointed in the Western Conference this year. They currently sit in a three-way tie with the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors at 25-24, tied for eighth in a competitive Western Conference. Oh, and the Dallas Mavericks are right below those teams by percentage points at 26-25.
Among the teams rumored in the Durant sweepstakes: Golden State. They’re clearly feeling the pressure to make a move now while Stephen Curry still has a chance to win at a high level. Those days appear to be dwindling for Curry, which is why the pressure is on. A reunion with Durant would of course be a massive swing, and the Warriors have the assets to make it happen.
Another team rumored: the aforementioned Dallas Mavericks.
They just traded Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. Why not consider adding Durant to a team that already has Kyrie Irving? Could the Mavericks flip the first round pick they just received from the Lakers and send it to Phoenix along with other assets for KD? The theory is there, but the money is extremely difficult.
Other teams could potentially get involved here, and why wouldn’t they? Durant is a malleable player and still very capable. I don’t see why the Memphis Grizzlies wouldn’t call and ask about Durant. The Houston Rockets probably won’t do it, but they should at least consider the idea. Why wouldn’t the Oklahoma City Thunder at least consider it either? They have the assets and cap flexibility.
Will the Denver Nuggets get involved? Probably not. On top of Michael Malone effectively declaring that the Nuggets won’t trade Michael Porter Jr. at the deadline, it’s extremely unlikely that the Nuggets could field the best offer for Durant anyway. Would Denver send the kitchen sink to get Durant? Perhaps. He’s that good, and it’s easy to understand the fit in Denver next to Jokic, Murray, and Gordon. Also, how funny would the Durant-Westbrook reunion be in Denver?
It’s very likely not going to happen for Denver, but it could happen for someone else in the West. If that’s the case, the conference will once again change in a major way. Already, several All-Stars have shifted the power of the Western Conference hierarchy. Durant is talented enough to do the same in the right circumstance.
The Nuggets will almost certainly be setting their sights way lower than someone like Durant. Whether they end up making a move remains to be seen.
