Kevin Durant's days as a Phoenix Suns player are officially over, and the franchise might be about to clear house if the latest on Bradley Beal is to be believed as well. Durant is headed to the Houston Rockets, for a package that landed the Suns with an F grade from us and plenty of question marks about just what on earth owner Mat Ishbia and General Manager Brian Gregory are trying to achieve.
Although many anticipated Durant's move as the first big blockbuster of the summer, it was the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic who shocked everybody by getting a monster deal of their own done on Father's Day. Desmond Bane heading to Florida in exchange for four first round picks, a future pick swap, Cole Anthony and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Quite the haul.
Chicago Bulls were offered a similar package by Magic for Coby White.
Although Bane has never made an All-Star appearance, he is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league across the last three seasons. He is also an elite wing defender, using his ridiculous frame to make scoring difficult for all manner of opponents. You can argue the Magic overpaid for his services - but if he's the missing piece on their way to contention - then it was worth everything they gave up.
REPORT: The Orlando Magic offered Cole Anthony, Jonathan Isaac, two first-round picks, and a pick swap to the Chicago Bulls for Coby White.
— via @LockedOnBulls pic.twitter.com/HuoHSeddLW
— Ball Report (@BallReportX) June 22, 2025
But according to the guys over at the "Locked On Bulls" podcast, the Magic first enquired with the Bulls about a similar deal for their own star guard in Coby White. Half as many first round picks - although the swap is still in there - plus one of the best defensive players in the league in Jonathan Isaac when he is healthy.
What does any of this have to do with Durant? You can say what you want about the 36-year-old, but surely even one season of him on your franchise is better than however many you would get out of White. Like Bane he has had his most productive seasons across the last couple of years, and was in with a shout of being an All-Star himself this season.
In fact to be offered all of that for White is something the Bulls perhaps should have jumped on, although maybe they're afraid of dealing with the Magic again after being burnt so badly on the Nikola Vucevic deal. White is a nicely-sized, offensive-minded guard who would be a nice building block on a rebuilding group, but he doesn't feel like the missing piece the way Bane might be and Durant can be.
Which makes what the Suns got from the Rockets a whole lot worse. If offers like that are out there for teams desperate to get in the championship mix - the Indiana Pacers are proving right now why going all in can pay off - then it makes sense to wait until the last possible moment to see who panics and overpays for Durant. If Bane can get it and White was offered it, Durant eventually would have too.