Things haven’t been going so well for Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns. After a hot start to the season, they have slowly slid down the Western Conference standings. Now they are on the outside of the Play-In Tournament picture and at risk of missing the playoffs completely. Their most recent struggles can partly be attributed to a mistake they made at this year’s trade deadline. The Suns shopped around Durant and now they are widely expected to part with him during the offseason. This has opened up a new conversation about some Kevin Durant trade destinations and where he may end up. One team that could be interested in a Durant trade this offseason is the Dallas Mavericks.
This Team Could Be A Dark Horse Kevin Durant Trade Destination
Likely Durant’s Last Season as a Sun
Recent reports are stating that there is mutual knowledge between the Suns and Durant that he will be traded next summer. Durant knows the Suns wanted to trade him, and although he nixed trades to potential suitors, he still may want out of Phoenix this summer.
"They're gonna trade [KD], and he knows that." 😳 @WindhorstESPN and @KendrickPerkins on what will happen with Kevin Durant and the Suns this offseason. pic.twitter.com/B985Mq41Hv
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 26, 2025
The Suns don’t look like they will be able to contend as presently constructed. Durant wants another opportunity at a championship. For the Suns, they need a reset from their current roster experiment. Durant could bring them a haul that replenishes their depleted box of assets. Looking at potential trade destinations for Durant is just something both sides are going to do.
Mavericks Showed Interest in a Durant Trade at the Deadline
There were multiple reports during and after the NBA trade deadline linking the Mavericks to Durant. After the Luka Doncic trade, they supposedly were dreaming up ways to pair Durant with his former teammate Kyrie Irving and former Team USA teammate Anthony Davis.
The Mavericks were unable to get a deal done, but the cat is out of the bag that they are interested. The Mavericks are likely going to make an all-in move this offseason to try to capitalize on their new timeline with Davis on the roster. They also need people to forget how bad the Doncic trade is as quickly as possible.
Mavericks Should be a Top Kevin Durant Trade Destination
Playing with two stars who are both former teammates of his should be interesting to Durant. The Mavericks would certainly be one of the favorites to come out of the West if they were able to put together a big three of Durant, Irving, and Davis. We only saw on occasion what Irving and Durant could do together in Brooklyn. Adding Davis to that mix could be potent.
The Mavericks’ ability to trade for Durant is going to depend on the price Phoenix is asking for. Durant will only have one more year on his contract, but whoever trades for him would likely extend him. The Suns have also lost some leverage by indicating that he will be traded. Still, in a player-controlled league, Durant will probably ultimately decide where he goes next season. The Mavericks could be an interesting option. Maybe the Mavericks will regret not getting enough draft capital in the Luka trade if they are unable to meet the Suns’ asking price. Only time will tell.
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