Kevin Durant Reportedly Gives The Phoenix Suns His Three Preferred Trade Destinations
NBA star Kevin Durant may be on the move again after reportedly giving the Phoenix Suns his three preferred trade destinations.
According to CBS Sports, Durant would like to be sent to the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, or the San Antonio Spurs.
Currently on an expiring $54.7 million deal for the 2025-26 season, the Suns have been upfront that “six to eight teams” have expressed serious interest in Durant’s services. The Suns are committed to making the best deal for the franchise, “even if it means trading Durant to a team outside his preferred list”, Shams Charania reported for ESPN.
After he’s traded, Durant will be eligible to sign a two-year contract extension on July 6 worth as much as $122 million. Six months after the trade, if he waited, Durant could sign a two-year extension worth up to $124 million.
Since February, Durant’s name has been involved in trade rumors as the Suns were in the throes of a disappointing season. Although no moves were made at the trade deadline, the Suns attempted to deal him to the Golden State Warriors without his knowledge, which caused tension within the organization.
At 37, Durant put up another great season, making his 15th All-Star team. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 62 games. A prolific scorer, Durant shot an NBA-best on jumpers (49.7%) and midrange shots (53.1%). Additionally, he had the best shooting percentage on off-the-dribble jumpers (50.9%), according to GeniusIQ.
Falling short of expectations, the Suns went 36-46 this season. They finished in 11th place in the Western Conference with the highest payroll in league history, and missed the playoffs.
During their offseason, the Suns named executive Brian Gregory as the new general manager and hired Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Jordan Ott as their new coach after firing Mike Budenholzer.
Ott will be the Suns’ third coach in three seasons.