Kevin Durant will be traded at some point this summer. At this point, it feels like an inevitability. The question is, who will the Phoenix Suns trade the first-ballot future Hall of Famer to? Will Durant have a list of teams he prefers?
Have those options already presented themselves? Could a Durant trade already be done, but not announced?
Well, according to ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania, there is a list of five teams that are interested in trading for Durant this offseason. To no surprise, each of the teams chasing the 36-year-old is a contender.
Charania reports that the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, and New York Knicks have all already expressed interest in a Durant trade. However, “several wild-card suitors have made inquiries” on Durant in the past “seven to 10 days.”
Phoenix Suns officials, including the team’s boardroom CEO Rich Kleiman, have met several times over the past few days. Those trade discussions centered around Durant will continue, and Charania says those talks are “expected to escalate” before the 2025 NBA Draft on June 25.
If traded, Durant will be eligible to sign a two-year, $112 million contract. That’s a slight decrease from the two-year, $124 million contract he could sign six months from now with the Suns.
Yet, it’s clear both Durant and the Suns are ready to move on, meaning it’s only a matter of time before the two-time champion goes all-in with a new contender.
Related: Kevin Durant trade expected soon, NBA Conference Finals contender likely to pursue him
Sports fan since birth. I am also passionate about cars, music, and anything funny. Minnesotan, born and raised. Maybe ... More about Andrew Buller-Russ