The Phoenix Suns, by all accounts, are expected to trade Kevin Durant this offseason.
After trying to trade him without his sign-off before the trade deadline during the season, Durant and the Suns are on the outs and will both pursue a change of scenery this offseason. The San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets have both been linked to KD, although both teams would likely rather land Giannis Antetokounmpo, and with the second overall pick, the Spurs are less inclined to trade their draft capital.
That means the Suns might have to settle for a lesser trade package to move on from their star, and the Denver Nuggets have been floated as a possible landing spot.
Denver doesn't have the "talented young player and three first-round picks" that the Suns are reportedly after, but the Nuggets could significantly improve the Suns' depth, which is another priority that needs to be addressed.
Kevin Durant
Dec 1, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) against Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) at Footprint Center.
© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mock Trade Pairs Durant With Nikola Jokic
A combination of Nikola Jokic and Durant in the Mile High City would be the best offensive combo the league has seen since KD and Stephen Curry took over for the Golden State Warriors for three seasons.
The Nuggets have only a single pick to trade, and by pairing KD with Jokic, pick-swaos would be basically worthless for the Suns, so instead the Nuggets would have to give up all of their depth.
Full Mock Trade Details
Nuggets receive: Kevin Durant
Suns receive: Michael Porter Jr., Zeke Nnaji, Dario Saric, DaRon Holmes II, Julian Strawther, 2031 first-round pick
The train of thought here is rather simple: Denver can totally mortgage their future to maximize Jokic's prime because this is the best shot the franchise has ever had at winning multiple titles. The Suns would likely prefer more draft picks, but youngsters like Strawther and Nnaji would thrive in a bigger role.
Plus, the league hasn't seen DaRon Holmes II play yet, as he missed his rookie season with a torn ACL.
Of course, pairing Durant and Russell Westbrook on the same team could be a recipe for disaster, although Brodie and KD could put their differences aside if it meant one last ride to the NBA Finals.
One can hope, at least.
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