The Phoenix Suns promoted Brian Gregory to GM last week, and one of his first tasks is hiring a new head coach. Gregory was asked about the futures of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, and he said that his focus is "finding the right head coach for those guys."
Trading Beal is almost an impossible task, given his no-trade clause. He may start the 2025-26 season in Phoenix, but nobody expects Durant to be there. The Suns shopped KD before the February deadline, and had a trade outlined with the Warriors, but Durant didn't want to be traded midseason. The offseason is a different story.
Not only should KD prefer to be traded to a team where he can make a final push at winning another ring (which was supposed to happen in Phoenix), but it'd help the Suns. They depleted their draft assets and have no wiggle room financially. Trading Durant would help give Phoenix some space to breathe.
Gregory has his work cut out for him, and he knows that. Part of what should be a busy offseason for him is getting the best possible haul for Durant.
New Suns GM Brian Gregory when asked if KD and Bradley Beal will be on the team next season:
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 6, 2025
"I have a very, very good relationship with both those guys. Kevin [Durant] gave me a nice hug in the weight room the other night… I had a great dinner with Brad Beal. ... My main focus… pic.twitter.com/67RX3YhZ8W
Brian Gregory says he has "very good relationship" with Kevin Durant
Gregory wasn't going to talk about trading Durant in his first remarks as GM because that would've been a bad look. The Suns' offseason began a few weeks ago, but the official NBA offseason is still a few weeks away. Trade talks will ramp up during the summer.
To be clear, Durant hasn't requested a trade. He was surprised that the Suns made him available before the deadline. KD wanted to finish the season in Phoenix, which ended with him spraining his ankle and missing the last few games.
Several teams were interested in Durant in February, which will be the case again this summer. He'll be 37 before next season starts, but he looks like he has at least a couple of years left in the NBA. KD is still one of the best players in the league and can help a team win a championship. Many want to see Durant finish his career in Houston, but the Rockets are high on their young players, one of whom would have to be included in a trade to Phoenix for KD.
Gregory doesn't have front office experience. He spent most of his career coaching in college, making his promotion to GM confusing for fans. He could start winning the fan base over by setting Phoenix back on the right track this offseason. Don't try to run it back, please.