Where Suns star Kevin Durant ends up in the coming days or weeks is the big early question of the offseason. Phoenix has reportedly been aggressively shopping the future Hall of Famer in hopes of finding a deal ahead of next week’s 2025 NBA Draft.
Thus far, it sounds like the Suns aren’t interested in the trade packages being offered. So with the draft coming up, NBA insider Zach Lowe floated over Durant being connected to the Celtics, but not necessarily with the All-Star ending up in Boston. Lowe made his recent comment on his podcast Friday.
“The focus for me is on Jrue Holiday,” Lowe said. “I’ve heard that there have been at least very broad discussions of three-team, Durant-related trades where Jrue Holiday is (included). I think these could be conjured by Phoenix in hopes of getting a deal done, more-or-less, where Jrue Holiday moves somewhere. Just like he was the shrapnel in the (Damian Lillard) trade and ended up in Boston.”
Now, before Celtics fans get excited about that possibility of trading for Durant, Lowe clarified his comments later on social media. It wasn’t necessarily that Durant would end up in Boston, but more Holiday’s contract could be used to make any trade work. So the Celtics would be the third team in this trade but not necessarily involved in landing Durant.
“One clarification here (because) we rushed at end -- when I mentioned the very broad idea of 3-team trades involving Jrue Holiday + KD, I meant to indicate KD would go to the third team in those deals (i.e. maybe a team on his list) -- and NOT to Boston,” Lowe wrote on social media. “The Celtics are NOT looking to trade for KD. I don’t think such a 3-team trade is really in the ether anyway. Thought this would be obvious but should have stated more clearly.”
Obviously, that’s a big detail when it comes to the Durant trade rumors involving Boston. The Celtics have been linked to Durant in the past, but it doesn’t make much sense for them in their current form. The C’s are retooling considering Jayson Tatum’s ruptured Achilles tendon will keep him out for the majority of next season, if not all of it.
Durant has reportedly given the Suns his preference of three teams in the Spurs, Heat and Rockets. But Phoenix has remained unimpressed by potential returning trade packages. Other teams like the Timberwolves have thrown their names into the Durant rumors, but Durant himself doesn’t seem too interested in ending up in Minnesota.
Durant, 36, still showed he can be one of the best players in the league. But with his age and considering he only has one season left on his contract, some teams are shying away due to the potential long-term implications of trading for him.