{"id":98438,"date":"2025-06-14T15:25:13","date_gmt":"2025-06-14T15:25:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/98438\/"},"modified":"2025-06-14T15:25:13","modified_gmt":"2025-06-14T15:25:13","slug":"is-there-a-favorite-for-suns-star","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/98438\/","title":{"rendered":"Is There A Favorite For Suns Star?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Kevin Durant<\/a> saga is reportedly getting close to a resolution, according to ESPN\u2019s Shams Charania<\/a>. Charania, speaking on the Pat McAfee Show, said that the focus of the Phoenix Suns<\/a> has turned towards Durant heading to either Minnesota<\/a>, Houston<\/a>, or Miami<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think a Kevin Durant trade could happen in the next few days,\u201d Charania said. \u201cIn the last 24 hours, the focus has been on the Rockets, the Heat, and the Minnesota Timberwolves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kevin Durant Trade Saga: Evaluating The 3 Reported Finalists For Suns Star & When Will It Happen<\/p>\n

While the Durant trade has seemingly been fast-tracked, Kurt Helin of NBC Sports<\/a> reported that there is a belief among NBA circles that it will be completed before or at the 2025 NBA Draft on June 25.\u00a0 Helin added that don\u2019t be surprised if the trade is held close to the vest until the NBA Finals are concluded.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know what really pisses off Adam Silver and the NBA league office,\u201d Helin said. \u201cWhen a team makes a big trade that upstages the NBA Finals. The league has made a concerted effort in recent years to refocus games on the court rather than on the rumor mill and trade speculation. \u201d<\/p>\n

The Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a> tied their NBA Finals<\/a> series with Indiana last night at 2-2.\u00a0 Game 5 of the Finals is Monday. If the series goes seven games, it won\u2019t end until June 22 or three days before the NBA draft.<\/a><\/p>\n

Based on Charania\u2019s reporting, that means that the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs are out of the running for Durant. The Knicks and Spurs were previously included in Charania\u2019s list of likely destinations for Durant.<\/p>\n

It comes as no surprise that the Knicks don\u2019t want any part of a Durant trade. The Knicks have an extremely productive starting lineup that has the potential to stay together for years. The Knicks don\u2019t have many assets to trade and just recently made \u201cthree blockbusters\u201d recently.<\/p>\n

Now, San Antonio is a little more surprising. While the Spurs were <\/a>reportedly\u00a0one of Durant\u2019s preferred destinations, they are not necessarily considered contenders. Plus, the status of Victor Wembanyama<\/a> is unknown after he underwent surgery on the deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. Additionally, it is unknown if the Spurs were unwilling to part with key assets.<\/p>\n

Examining The Teams In Mix For Durant<\/p>\n

Before taking a look at the teams remaining in contention for Durant, what does the Suns want in return?\u00a0 There are some interesting considerations for the teams that are now in contention.<\/p>\n

According to ESPN\u2019s Tim Bontempts and Brian Windhorst<\/a>, his land spot has to be somewhere Durant is invested in going. The duo added that the team that trades for Durant \u201cwill likely need to be willing to consider giving Durant an extension of more than $60 million per season for his age-38 and age-39 seasons.\u201dDurant will make $54.7 million this season.<\/p>\n

Including Durant, Phoenix has 10 players under contract with a salary cap hit of $218 million for the 2025-26 season. Therefore, the Suns are over $11 million over the second apron. Vasilije Micic<\/a> does have a $8.1 million team option, though the Suns are not expected to exercise it. There are rumors that Micic is expected to return overseas with Fenerbache<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In that case, Phoenix has nine players under contract for the upcoming season. The Suns need to get younger and improve their frontcourt. The Suns also need to add some a guard and some draft capital. They own the No. 29 pick in the upcoming June 25 draft.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy expectation for the Suns\u2019 return in a KD trade is a couple of rotation players to match salary, said Helin when talking about what Phoenix could get in a trade. \u201cA\u00a0 young player with some potential, and one or two first-round picks (depending on how good they are perceived to be).\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Mar 30, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) reacts after fouling a Houston Rockets player in the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
\nMinnesota Timberwolves<\/p>\n

Minnesota is very interesting for Durant. Durant would give the Timberwolves another scorer and creator to complement Ant Edwards<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Minnesota has 13 players under contract with salaries totaling $192.3 million. But Julius Randle<\/a> ($30.9 million) and Naz Reid<\/a> ($15 million) have player options that they could decline.<\/p>\n

The Timberwolves have reached the Western Conference finals in each of the last two years.\u00a0 But the Wolves came up short once again this year, falling to a more talented Oklahoma City squad.\u00a0 The concerning part for the Wolves was the disappointing performance of their offense, particularly their frontcourt.<\/p>\n

Edwards was superb in the playoffs. While Randle played well in the postseason, his production declined in the conference finals, and turnovers were a recurring issue. Rudy Gobert<\/a> and Mike Conley<\/a> were non-factors offensively in the playoffs and essentially nonexistent against the Thunder.<\/p>\n

Here Is A Look At Two Timberwolves Hypothetical Trades for Durant<\/p>\n

ESPN\u2019s Bobby Marks\u2019 proposal<\/a>: Suns get Durant in exchange for Gobert, Conley, Donte DiVincenzo<\/a>, and the No. 17 pick in 2025.<\/p>\n

Ben Cooper\u2019s of ClutchPoint\u2019s proposal<\/a>: Suns get Durant in exchange for\u00a0 Randle (via opt-in or sign-and-trade), DiVincenzo, Rob Dillingham<\/a>, Luka Garza,<\/a> and No. 17 pick in 2025.<\/p>\n

Marks proposal makes little sense for Phoenix as it doesn\u2019t provide the Suns much. Gobert is the rim protector that the Suns need, and DiVincenzo is a nice role player on a reasonable contract. The first-round pick will help the Suns get a little younger, but this deal also adds money to the Suns\u2019 cap.<\/p>\n

I like Cooper\u2019s proposal. The tricky part may be getting Randle to agree since he has to opt into his deal. Dillingham is a promising young point guard, who didn\u2019t get a lot of run last year with the Wolves but was productive in January when he averaged 16 minutes a game. Additionally, the Suns would save between $3 million and $5 million in salary cap space.<\/p>\n

Houston Rockets<\/p>\n

Houston has a lot of trade assets, and the Rockets need a reliable score. It will be interesting to see the package they offer. The Rockets are reportedly one of Durant\u2019s top two destinations.<\/p>\n

\u201cA league source informed The Republic the Rockets would be the ideal landing spot for Durant, saying they need a \u2018go-to guy\u2019 in the fourth quarter and have draft picks and young players to offer the Suns in return,\u201d The Arizona Republic\u2019s Duane Rankin said<\/a>. \u201cRockets coach Ime Udoka<\/a> also has a relationship with Durant. Udoka was an assistant in Brooklyn in the 2020-21 season when Durant was with the\u00a0 Nets.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Rockets have 13 players under contract with a salary cap hit of $190.28 million, although they have some flexibility. Fred VanVleet<\/a> ($44.8 million) and Aaron Holiday<\/a> ($4.9 million) have team options.<\/p>\n

ESPN Insider Trade Proposal:<\/a> Dillon Brooks<\/a>,\u00a0Reed Sheppard<\/a>,\u00a0Cam Whitmore<\/a>,\u00a0Jock Landale<\/a>, No. 10 pick in 2025 and a 2027 first-round pick.<\/p>\n

Jed Katz of Sports Illustrated Mock Trade<\/a>: Suns get Jabari Smith Jr.<\/a> and Jalen Green<\/a> along with draft capital, including 2025 No. 10 pick for Durant.<\/p>\n

The Verdict<\/p>\n

While the Rockets have numerous options to make a deal work with the Suns, I prefer ESPN\u2019s proposal. The Suns are getting younger with Whitmore, Sheppard, and the two draft picks, both of which could be very valuable. They also save over $11 million in cap space with this deal. The 2027 first-round selection was previously the Suns before they traded it to Houston.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Rockets are a natural trade partner for the Suns for two main reasons,\u201d ESPN Insiders said. \u201cFirst, Durant slots neatly into Houston\u2019s largest hole. Thanks to a shiny young core and ferocious defense, the Rockets are rising in the West. But they lack the go-to scorer required to lead a contender and rank just 25th in half-court offense this season, per Cleaning the Glass.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the meantime, this return could also help Phoenix put together a competitive roster around Devin Booker<\/a> and avoid a full rebuild. Brooks is a useful 3-and-D wing on a declining contract who could plug one hole in the Suns\u2019 porous perimeter defense. Sheppard hasn\u2019t found his footing in his rookie season in Houston, but the No. 3 pick offers more upside than any player on Phoenix\u2019s roster. So too does Whitmore, an occasionally electric scorer (career 22 points per 36 minutes) who hasn\u2019t checked enough other boxes to earn more of coach Ime Udoka\u2019s trust.\u201d<\/p>\n

Miami Heat<\/p>\n

Miami is a little bit of an oddity fit for Durant, but he is familiar with Heat coach Erik Spoelstra<\/a>, who was an assistant on Team USA\u2019s gold-medal effort at last summer\u2019s Paris Olympics. The Heat does have the assets to trade for Durant, such as Andrew Wiggins<\/a>, Duncan Robinson<\/a>, \u00a0Kel\u2019el Ware<\/a>, Nikola Jovic<\/a>, and Jaime Jaquez Jr<\/a>., along with draft capital.<\/p>\n

\u201cKevin Durant would fit in anywhere, but I feel like he fits in Miami Heat culture,\u201d Udonis Haslem said on the Pat McAfee Show<\/a>. \u201cI can\u2019t speak too much on it, but I would say he\u2019s a guy who comes in and just has to be Kevin Durant.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Heat would realistically have to involve another team to have a chance for Durant realistically. The reason, as ESPN Insider points out, is that if the Heat doesn\u2019t offer more money than Durant\u2019s salary, they will be hard-capped at the first apron.<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Clippers<\/p>\n

Like the Heat, the Clippers seem like a long shot for Durant. While Charania didn\u2019t include the Clippers in his report, Helin and, Bontempts and Windhorst mentioned them as a possible suitor.<\/p>\n

Adding Durant would once again give the Clippers a Big 3 and re-unite Durant and James Harden.<\/a>\u00a0 However, the Durant-Harden experiment didn\u2019t work out well for the Nets, and in the only year of the Clippers Big 3, they won 51 games and were ousted in the first round of the playoffs. Last year, LA won 50 contests and was eliminated in the first round despite the departure of Paul George<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would take a third team (or more) to make the math work,\u201d Helin wrote.\u00a0 \u201cBut the Clippers could send depth to Phoenix in a trade offer centered around a sign-and-trade of Norman Powell,<\/a> Bogdan Bogdanovic<\/a>, and more, plus a first-round pick or two. We can assume that Harden,[Kawhi] Leonard<\/a>, and [Ivica] Zubac<\/a> are off-limits in a trade, but everyone else would be on the table.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last Word<\/p>\n

At this point, with the exact packages teams are offering the Suns unknown, it appears that Durant will be heading to either Minnesota or Houston.\u00a0 The Timberwolves appear to be in a better situation for Durant if he wants a shot at another title. However, the Rockets are likely to be able to offer a more enticing package.<\/p>\n

Photo Credit: \u00a9 Kirby Lee, Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Kevin Durant saga is reportedly getting close to a resolution, according to ESPN\u2019s Shams Charania. Charania, speaking…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":98439,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3791],"tags":[4330,7,861,560,376,938,6,2065,472,4045,604],"class_list":{"0":"post-98438","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-phoenix-suns","8":"tag-2025-nba-trade-rumors","9":"tag-basketball","10":"tag-jalen-green","11":"tag-james-harden","12":"tag-julius-randle","13":"tag-kevin-durant","14":"tag-nba","15":"tag-phoenix","16":"tag-phoenix-suns","17":"tag-phoenixsuns","18":"tag-suns"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/114682417895685706","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98438","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98438"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98438\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/98439"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98438"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98438"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}