As the NBA Draft gets closer, all reports indicate that Kevin Durant will either be traded on or before draft day, and the San Antonio Spurs have emerged as frontrunners for the Slim Reaper.
The Spurs, Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Toronto Raptors all seem to be in the sweepstakes, although unless the Rockets are willing to part with the tenth overall pick, it's hard to imagine any team being able to outbid the Spurs.
The Spurs have plenty of assets, both in team-friendly contracts and draft capital, to land KD.
While the Phoenix Suns would love to land either Stephon Castle or the second pick, it's pretty clear that the Spurs aren't willing to part with either of those assets for a 37-year-old star with an extensive injury history.
Here are three plausible trades the Spurs could make.
Best Deal for San Antonio:
Spurs receive: Kevin Durant
Suns receive: Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, no. 14 overall pick
The Spurs need to balance salary, and parting with Barnes and Johnson makes that pretty easy, with Wesley and Branham being added to help balance the books.
The Suns would likely flip Barnes, and perhaps even Johnson, in future deals while giving Wesley and Branham a chance to see if they can be long-term fits. The Spurs also only manage to give up one draft pick, although the Suns might demand more than that.
Spurs Keep Draft Capital Trade:
Spurs receive: Kevin Durant
Suns receive: Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan
If the Spurs want to keep their draft options open, then they will have to part ways with some talented players. We've already established that Castle is off the table, so a heady defender in Sochan, a reliable scorer in Vassell, and Johnson round out a trade package that is sure to be divisive among both fan bases.
The Spurs do have a clear path to rebuild once Durant retires, with Victor Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and Castle all productive when he retires, with plenty of future picks to flip for another star down the road.
Both Sides Win Trade:
Spurs receive: Kevin Durant
Suns receive: Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, no. 14 overall pick, 2027 first-round pick (via ATL)
This seems to be the most realistic deal. The Suns get a young player and two picks, and Barnes is added to balance the books, and the Spurs, unlike the previous deal, don't have to slash their depth.
It seems pretty clear that Barnes, who is older and on an expiring contract, will be included in the deal. It's just a matter of who else rounds out matching Durant's $54.7 million salary, and how many draft picks it will take to entice the Suns.
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