The Phoenix Suns, by all accounts, will trade Kevin Durant this offseason. The San Antonio Spurs are among the most likely landing spots for the all-time great forward, and they certainly have the means to add him.
In the modern NBA, when stars demand a trade, they usually present a list of preferred landing spots. Durant is no exception, although he has not done enough in Phoenix for the Suns to emphasize his desires. That means, if a team he simply can't stand makes an offer, the Suns should say yes and let him deal with the aftermath.
In 2018, the Spurs found themselves in a pretty similar predicament.
Kawhi Leonard had only one season left on his contract when he asked for a trade, and the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Sacramento Kings, and Boston Celtics were all in the running. Then, out of nowhere, the Toronto Raptors outbid all of them, landing Leonard for one year.
Kawhi did not want to go to Canada, but the Spurs didn't care, and one can very easily argue that Leonard brought more to the Spurs than KD ever brought to the Suns.
At the time, the return package of DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, and a first-round pick (the Spurs selected Keldon Johnson) seemed solid. After all, the Spurs got back a proven All-Star to pair with Dejounte Murray, LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills, and Rudy Gay.
The Raptors, who rolled the dice, were unable to convince Leonard to ink a deal to stay in Toronto, although they have a banner to show for it. If Durant doesn't want to play for the Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, or even the Raptors, but one of those teams offers more than his "preferred" landing spots, the Suns should take the money and run.
While the DeRozan and Aldridge era didn't really work out for the Spurs, San Antonio, like Phoenix, is not ready to rebuild, and if the Suns can land a "win now" package, the best they can hope for is that the door doesn't hit KD on the way out.
A single playoff series win in three years doesn't get you what you want, despite Durant being an expert at forcing himself out of every team he has ever played for.
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