In the months leading up to the deadline, it was well-known that Jimmy Butler's preferred trade destination was the Phoenix Suns. However, the Suns kept themselves from getting Butler, as the trade for Bradley Beal continued to haunt Phoenix. The front office couldn't compete with his no-trade clause.
The Warriors traded for Butler instead, but that was only after they tried to trade for Kevin Durant. A framework was in place for a deal, but Durant didn't want to be traded, which killed the deal. The fact that the Suns made KD available before the deadline threw fans (and even Durant) for a loop.
After the deadline, Durant said he understands the NBA is a business but was blindsided by Phoenix's decision to listen to offers for him. He made it clear that he didn't want to be traded to any team midseason and preferred to stay with the Suns to finish 2024-25.
The trade rumors could ramp up again during the offseason, especially because Phoenix's best chance of securing a playoff berth is through the Play-In Tournament. They are currently two and a half games back from the No. 10 Kings, so the Suns are in danger of missing the Play-In entirely.
So, what could happen with Durant?
Kevin Durant talks about Suns future on Draymond Green's podcast
Durant was the most recent guest on 'The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis.' One of the many topics discussed was the Warriors-Suns trade that never was.
Davis asked Durant if he wants his career to end in Phoenix, to which KD said:
"Man, I want my career to end on my terms. That's the only thing I'm worried about, you know? 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."
Durant's top priority isn't retiring with the Suns, where everyone thought he'd end his career after the 2023 trade. The front office has failed to build a winning team around KD and Devin Booker. At 36, Durant still has a lot to give the game of basketball, averaging 26.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game this season.
Who knows what KD wants? It'd be hard to blame him if he prefers to finish his career with another team. The fact that he didn't explicitly say he wants to stay in Phoenix is all fans need to know. Durant has never had a problem doing whatever he wants, no matter the blowback. Like he said, he wants to be in charge of how his NBA career ends.