The Kevin Durant trade sweepstakes are heating up. Go ahead and thank Giannis Antetokounmpo for at least part of this acceleration. And yet, the saga may drag on longer than anticipated, beyond the June 25 NBA draft, if the Phoenix Suns are seriously hoping to get as much for KD as they sent out to land him.
You read that correctly. The Suns apparently want to match or rival what they surrendered for Durant back in 2023. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst confirmed as much during a recent appearance on NBA Today (h/t Bleacher Report), in which he noted: "From what I am told, the Suns are looking for a comparable package for what they traded to get Durant. Which is impact players and multiple draft assets."
Er, yeah. Good luck with that Phoenix.
Here's why the Suns aren't getting a ransom for Kevin Durant
As a reminder, here's what the Suns shipped out for Durant: Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, Cam Johnson, four unprotected first-round picks, and one first-round swap. This was considered questionable value at the time. Phoenix itself appeared to draw a line in talks with the Brooklyn Nets, only for owner Mat Ishbia to step in and fork over more.
The Suns could have immediately re-flipped Durant the very next day and still not have received as much as they gave up. Coming anywhere close to that package now, nearly two-and-a-half years later, is a pipe dream.
Make no mistake, Durant remains a star. He is averaging around 27 points and five assists while canning over 58 percent of his twos and nearly 42 percent of his threes since joining the Suns. He without question makes an All-NBA team this past season if not for an ankle injury.
Durant also turns 37 in September, and is entering the final season of his contract. The team that acquires him can extend him for two years, and either $122 million right away or $124 million after waiting six months. So his suitors are effectively bidding for the right to pay him massive amounts of money through his age-39 season. That is a risk and reality everyone will factor into what they’re offering Phoenix.
The Kevin Durant trade market speaks for itself
The scope of the Durant trade market is already proving that the Suns must lower their expectations.
Writing for The Stein Line, NBA insider Jake Fischer notes that the Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves are two of the most likely landing spots for the two-time Finals MVP. Neither one of those teams has the trade assets necessary to give Phoenix even half as much as it gave up for KD.
On top of that, Fischer also reports that the San Antonio Spurs are “only willing to discuss veterans such as Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes” as the primary-player compensation. If the Suns break bread with them, they aren’t getting Stephon Castle or the No. 2 pick.
Phoenix knows all of this on some level. Its loosely ambitious asking price could be more of a negotiating ploy than anything else.
If it’s not, though, the KD sweepstakes could drag on, and on, and on. As Fischer suggests, the Suns are hoping to get a deal done before the draft. There’s no way that happens unless they wind up accepting a fraction of what they sent out to get Durant in the first place.