Kevin Durant has yet to formally request a trade from the Phoenix Suns, but when he does, it should come as no surprise and no one should blame him. The Suns tried to deal him away before the deadline, which could have been enough to sour him on the franchise.
Add in the lack of winning, likely missing the playoffs, and butting heads with head coach Mike Budenholzer, and it's no wonder why he is expected to be the biggest name on the trade market this season.
While all 30 teams, on paper, should be interested in an all-time great scorer, one team should be ready to cash in all their chips for Durant.
After trading away a young Luka Doncic for an aging Anthony Davis, the Dallas Mavericks (when healthy) can compete with the best teams in the league, but their window is very narrow. They have been linked to Durant since the Doncic trade, and he is expected to remain on their radar.
Even if it appears Dallas isn't interested, they have a track record of shocking the world.
"If we've learned anything about the Mavs and general manager Nico Harrison, it's that even the biggest moves stay under wraps," pointed out Bleacher Report'sGrant Hughes. "That Dallas managed to move Luka Doncic without so much as the faintest tidbit of news leaking will forever remain incredible-and it should also keep everyone on their toes."
Of course, Doncic was seen as untouchable and Durant is not, so maybe secrecy won't be needed.
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"The Mavericks should be operating in panic mode," Hughes continued. "They don't control their own first-rounder from 2027 to 2030, they just gave away a cornerstone who would have sustained them for a decade, and their prioritization of AD over picks means they're firmly in win-now mode. The Mavs are among the teams that should be most interested in landing Durant. What have they got to lose?"
With both Dallas and the Suns likely to miss the postseason, expect both teams to shake up their rosters.
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This story was originally published March 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM.