Ahead of last week’s deadline, Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant was rumored as a potential trade target. More specifically, teams like the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat pursued the two-time champion. Ultimately, nothing came to fruition and Durant remains in Phoenix. However, after the deadline, Durant revealed he was “blindsided” by the rumors (subscription required). While the Suns did not trade Durant at the deadline, it seems possible that they will in the offseason. Furthermore, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Suns trading Durant will “probably” happen.
“I would expect this summer for Durant and the Suns to work together to find a new home.” 😯
—@windhorstESPN on the future of Kevin Durant beyond this season pic.twitter.com/626Z3j71Hu
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) February 12, 2025
“Yeah, [Durant]’s probably going to get traded this summer. He knows it, the Suns know it, the rest of the league know[s] it, they’re going to enjoy him while they have him. It’s not really controversial in all honesty. They’re under .500, they’ve got a $230 million payroll, then add about $100 million in tax on that…[Durant]’s played almost 1,500 minutes this year, and he’s +2 on the court in those 1,500 minutes. So you have an extremely expensive team that is not winning, and the player that is their most expensive player, who is playing great but not impacting them on a positive level, you do not need a high-level analyst to tell you that they probably need to trade him, which is why they were exploring the trade market for him…I would expect this summer for Durant and the Suns to work together to find a new home.”
NBA Insider Provides Major Update On Kevin Durant Trade Plans
Kevin Durant Says Trade Rumors Have Not Impacted His Feelings Toward Suns
Despite the trade rumors, Durant has said that the rumors have not had an impact on his feelings toward the team. Furthermore, Durant said he “always had a goal” of finishing his contract with the team.
Kevin Durant on whether the trade rumors have impacted feelings on his future in Phoenix: “No, I always had a goal of playing my contract out and seeing what happens….I know that’ll be a topic, that’s probably the most frustrating thing about being in trade talks is that the… pic.twitter.com/NBpH9mFzY9
— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) February 10, 2025
The 36-year-old still has one year left on his four-year, $194.2 million contract after this season. If Windhorst’s reports are true, Durant will likely spend the final season of his contract elsewhere.
The Last Word
Currently, the Suns are 26-27 and own the No. 11 seed in the West. While the Suns are in a decent spot to make the postseason this year, it is close. They are only 2 games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs and 3.5 games ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers. However, they are also just 3.5 games behind the No. 6 seed Los Angeles Clippers.
Right now, Durant trade rumors are not important for the Suns. Instead, they will hope to turn things around and go on a run to ensure a playoff appearance this season.
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
