The Kevin Durant trade saga appears to be entering its endgame, and three teams have emerged as the Phoenix Suns star’s preferred destinations.
The Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets are the teams Durant would commit to long term if traded, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Durant has only one year remaining on his current deal and could elect free agency next summer if sent to a team he doesn’t like.
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Despite Durant’s preferences, the Suns have reportedly told six-to-eight interested teams they will make the trade that is best for the franchise, even if it’s outside of the trio above.
All three teams present an intriguing potential supporting cast for Durant — and questions about how feasible a trade really is. The Athletic reports a deal with the Spurs or Rockets is looking unlikely for now, while the Heat were hesitant about parting with Kel’el Ware and Jaime Jaquez Jr. during similar negotiations at the trade deadline.
The Spurs entered this offseason in position to make a major move. There’s little doubt in Victor Wembanyama as a future, if not current, superstar, and the team has already added some significant talent around the Frenchman. However, the team already has two major names at point guard in All-Star De’Aaron Fox and Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, and its best choice for the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft appears to be Rutgers point guard Dylan Harper.
Kevin Durant knows where he wants to go. Do those teams want him too? (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
(Chris Coduto via Getty Images)
San Antonio trading the second pick for an established talent, especially a wing like Durant, has loomed as a major possibility all season. However, this team is also clearly built for the future, and trading young players for the 36-year-old Durant sounds questionable.
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The Rockets are further ahead than the Spurs, going 52-30 this season on a core of both younger players and veterans. Trading for Durant would likely require parting with some of those young players, though, making a deal similarly complicated. As for the Heat, they have a Jimmy Butler-sized hole in their near-future plans and might need to wonder if the aging Durant will really put them on the right track.
One other team mentioned by The Athletic as being in on Durant is the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are reportedly not including wing Jaden McDaniels in any trade talks. The Star Tribune’s Chris Hine reports a deal is currently unlikely there.
If a team outside of Durant’s preferred destinations trades for him, they are betting on him either changing his mind down the line or having a spectacular single season with them. That complicates his market, but it’s hard to imagine some teams won’t remain interested.
