If the Phoenix Suns half methods with Kevin Durant this offseason, loads of suitors are anticipated to line up searching for his companies.
Forward of the 2025 NBA commerce deadline, the Phoenix Suns made it clear that they might be keen to commerce Kevin Durant if their excessive asking value have been to be met. Ultimately, Durant stayed on the Suns, though the dysfunction and physique language exhibited because the deadline recommend that he’s not lengthy for Phoenix.
With a full season left on his contract, the Suns ought to have the ability to get a large return for Durant ought to they commerce him this summer season. He’s on the fallacious aspect of 35 however continues to be one of many highest gamers within the league, and the Suns might jumpstart a rebuild in the event that they have been to commerce him.
Loads of groups, together with the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves, have been floated as locations the place he might play subsequent season, though one former participant appears to suppose two touchdown spots are clear.
Each the Miami Warmth and San Antonio Spurs have very clear benefits that make them interesting touchdown spots for Durant. The Warmth play in South Seashore, which is an NBA participant’s paradise, and Erik Spoelstra is an elite coach nonetheless on the prime of his recreation.
Assuming Gregg Popovich returns after he finishes his restoration from a stroke suffered in November, in addition they boast an elite coach. On prime of that, Victor Wembanyama is arguably the best younger participant since Wilt Chamberlain, and Durant ending his profession subsequent to Wemby can be slightly poetic.
“The one ones that stand out to me are perhaps the Spurs, perhaps the Warmth,” mentioned Lou Williams on FanDuel’s Run It Again relating to potential Kevin Durant touchdown spots.
“I might see the Spurs the place you would play alongside Wemby, the place they’ll create some actual matchup issues, and Wemby goes to be the man who’s going to do a whole lot of the heavy lifting on the defensive finish.
“Additionally, the Warmth. The Warmth want a scoring punch and they should pair any person up with Tyler Herro to kind of get them over the hump.
“The opposite groups, Lakers or Mavs, I can’t actually see that understanding. I just like the Spurs and the Warmth.”
The large-market groups like Los Angeles and Dallas have already spent the required draft capital on touchdown different stars and may not have the room so as to add Durant into the fold.
If the Spurs add Durant, there’s virtually no query that they might be title contenders subsequent season, even with such a younger roster. On prime of that, the Spurs must grapple with the Suns’ excessive asking value for the famous person.
“Sources knowledgeable The Republic essentially the most splendid return on a Durant commerce is regaining three first-round picks and a younger participant as a part of a multi-team deal tied to getting below the second apron,” wrote AZ Central’s Duane Rankin.
Meaning the Spurs must commerce their prized draft picks and younger expertise. The idea round San Antonio is that in the event that they keep the course, they’ll have a dynasty and don’t have to rush their approach into only one title run.
The Warmth have been urged to take an analogous route and eventually rebuild organically. They’ve three high-level position gamers in Herro, Adebayo, and Wiggins, though with a view to soak up Durant’s wage, they must commerce away at the least a kind of gamers.
If the Warmth make a transfer for KD, they could possibly be simply as ill-fated because the Suns are actually, and Phoenix might need to decrease the asking value simply to free themselves from the jail of their very own design.
