The Suns endured one of their most disappointing seasons in recent memory — finishing well below expectations and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020 — prompting drastic organizational changes.
Following a dismal 36-46 record and 11th place finish in the Western Conference, the franchise fired head coach Mike Budenholzer.
Adding to the Suns' woes was the fate of Bradley Beal, whose nearly untradeable 5-year, $251 million contract — with an annual cap hit of $53 million next season, $57 million the year after to pair with a no-trade clause — left Phoenix with extremely limited flexibility.
Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant
Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant
Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Rumors emerged that the Suns were preparing to shift gears and move on from Durant, allowing him and his camp to find a potential suitor.
However, the Suns hold “no leverage” in the ongoing trade discussions, per Duane Rankin.
Rankin went on to discuss how Durant's age and well-documented desire have led to Phoenix receiving underwhelming offers for the superstar.
"Durant remains one of the game’s best players, finishing sixth in the NBA in scoring at 26.6 points a game, but at age 36, he isn’t viewed as the same player who won finals MVP in back-to-back years with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018."
Over the past couple of days, several trade rumors surrounding Durant have further complicated the Suns’ exit strategy.
Notably, rumors assert that Kevin Durant has “no desire” to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves — a potential suitor that, despite interest from their front office, is reportedly not in line with his personal preference. Instead, Durant’s ideal landing spots appear to be the San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat or Houston Rockets.
Among these, his preference is most strongly aligned with the Spurs, a team whose culture and talented young duo of De'Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama he finds appealing. The Heat and Rockets, while interested, have not yet presented an offer that would satisfy Phoenix’s expectations.