The Phoenix Suns have ramped up their pursuit of a Kevin Durant trade, Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported on Tuesday.
According to Iko, the Suns have contacted the Houston Rockets among several teams for a potential Durant trade since their seasons ended.
“Phoenix is aggressive in pursuit of a) trading Kevin Durant and b) regaining full control of their draft capital starting with the No. 10 pick in next month’s draft, team sources said. Since the conclusion of the season, Houston has fielded several calls from Phoenix, who have since gradually lowered their asking price for Durant, those sources said,” Iko wrote.
The Suns gave up four first-round picks and a pick swap on top of Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges for Durant at the trade deadline in 2023. Most of those picks are now with the Rockets, who are in a great position to trade for Durant should they want to.
In March, The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin reported that the Suns were looking to regain those picks from the Rockets.
“Sources informed The Republic that the most ideal return on a Durant trade is regaining three first-round picks and a young player as part of a multi-team deal tied to getting under the second apron,” Rankin wrote.
NBA Insider ‘98%’ Sure of Blockbuster Trade
The latest intel on Suns’ dealings came on the heels of ESPN’s NBA insider Brian Windhorst saying that a Durant trade is likely happening this summer.
“Kevin Durant, I’m like 98% sure he’s not going to be a Sun next year,” Windhorst said of the 15-time All-Star on “NBA Today” on May 28. “How it works out? I’m about 1% sure [that it will]. There’s going to be a number of teams interested, but some of it is going to depend on whether Durant is a player they keep on a one-year contract or they want to give him a contract extension, which I suspect he’s going to want.”
The Suns are in a tough spot.
The rest of the NBA are on hold, awaiting for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s decision. On top of that, Durant’s contract situation at his age put the Suns at a disadvantage in any trade talks.
According to ESPN’s NBA Insider Bobby Marks, teams will not pursue the 37-year-old superstar are unlikely for a one-year rental.
“A lot of it he’ll dictate as far as what you can get in value based on him willing to extend with that team,” Marks said in an interview with Arizona Sports. “He can extend for, I think two years, $120 million. If there’s a team out there willing to throw … a lot at Phoenix and he’s not willing to extend, that’s probably not going to be a deal that will happen.”
Kevin Durant Wants to Choose Next Destination
Durant will have a say in where he wants to go next. He holds leverage because of his contract situation.
Durant will enter the final season of his four-year, $194 million contract he signed with the Brooklyn Nets before his trade to Phoenix. He implicitly said he will use his leverage.
“I want my career to end on my terms, that’s the only thing,” Durant said on the “Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis” in February. “That’s the only thing I’m worried about. ‘Cause I see a lot of dudes that don’t get that opportunity, so I want to keep putting in that work to make that choice on my own.”
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