After the Golden State Warriors missed out on Kevin Durant at the trade deadline, they could try again this summer and, this time, finally convince him to return to the Bay Area, Zach Buckley of the Bleacher Report predicts.
Durant nixed the idea of reuniting with the Warriors at the trade deadline after the Phoenix Suns dangled him in trade talks without his knowledge. This summer, the Suns will work with Durant and his representation in potential trade scenarios, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
“As great as Durant is, he’ll be 37 before next season tips and doesn’t have the cleanest injury history. It’ll take a specific kind of suitor to want what he brings, afford him in a trade and also believe it will have enough left over to contend for a title with him already next season.
“The Warriors potentially check all of those boxes—assuming, of course, the Suns would be interested in their draft picks, pick swaps, young players (like Moses Moody or Brandin Podziemski) and a Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade. That’s a big assumption for now, but our crystal ball thinks that’s the best Phoenix can do in a Durant deal and also believes the 15-time All-Star will come around to the realization that he won’t find a better hoops home than his previous digs,” Buckley wrote.
Joining Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler gives Durant a bigger chance to compete for a title in the twilight of their career.
With an expiring contract, Durant holds power over where he goes next. A team that will trade for him will seek assurances that he will sign an extension. Durant is eligible to sign a two-year, $122 million extension this offseason.
Kevin Durant Leaves Door Open to Golden State Return
After the trade deadline in February, Durant told his former Warriors teammate Draymond Green on his podcast show with Baron Davis that he would be open to joining them if they still want to trade for him in the offseason.
“We just play the season out and if that’s the decision you want to make in the offseason then you figure it out,” Durant said on the “Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis” that dropped on Feb. 26. “It’s just such a big change to make and I’ve been through it before I was like damn that’s not really it. If I can stop it then why not?”
So Durant stopped the trade before the Warriors would have mortgaged their future for him.
“A player like me costs a lot,” Durant explained. “Going into your team is gonna be a whole new era of your team when I get to your team and that’s a lot of work through the season like I’m still of value, especially with my contract and just my production that me just getting up and moving in the middle of season, it’s going to be a big blow to any team I’m going.”
With the Warriors getting Butler instead of Durant at the trade deadline, they kept their powder dry.
Golden State has up to four first-round picks to trade after the NBA draft and has a slew of young players and veterans to potentially package for Durant.
Warriors Expected to Have Busy Offseason
After they fell short in the playoffs, no thanks to Curry’s hamstring injury, the Warriors are going all-in in this offseason to augment their solid core, ESPN’s Shams Charania recently reported.
“The Golden State Warriors have up to four first-round picks they can trade,” Charania said on “SportsCenter” on May 15. “They have tradeable contracts, pick swaps as well. Sources told me in the last few hours, the Warriors will be incredibly aggressive in the marketplace to go find help, to continue to retool around their big three.
“I’m told their priority is finding a play-making wing defender or a center to add to this group. A lot of it will come down to someone that Steve Kerr and the big feel like will help this team and fit their culture and their identity.”
Incredibly aggressive sounds like a swing for the fences to add another big piece to their win-now core. Is a Durant trade in the cards? We’ll find out soon.
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