Evidently Phoenix isn’t thrilled with the trade offers the team has received for Kevin Durant to this point.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Shams Charania said that while several teams have expressed interest in the 36-year-old forward, none have been willing to give the Suns the type of return package they’re looking for.
“The Suns know if they’re going to trade Kevin Durant, they clearly have a price threshold they want met,” Charania said. “I had one team tell me today that it’s kind of a game of chicken at this point. From the Rockets, to the Heat, to the Minnesota Timberwolves, it’s literally one or two pieces away (from getting a deal done).
“But at the end of the day, one of these teams has to meet that threshold to get something done. The NBA draft is about a week away. So could this go into the NBA draft? For sure. But I don’t think the Suns want it to, I don’t think the other teams want it to. … My understanding is they’re in active conversations with those three teams, specifically, on trying to get a deal done for Kevin Durant. … I would also not be surprised if this (involves three or four teams).”
Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald confirms (via Twitter) that the Heat are currently unwilling to meet Phoenix’s asking price for Durant, but it’s possible that could change.
According to Charania (Twitter video link), the Suns are very much willing to make a trade that does not involve the Spurs, Rockets or Heat, who are reportedly at the top of Durant’s list of preferred destinations. But Durant also has a degree of leverage, since he could be a free agent in 2026 — he’s on an expiring contract, which will pay him $54.7MM next season.
Charania also touched on the Spurs’ interest in Durant, which sounds somewhat tepid (Twitter video link).
“(The No. 2 pick) I don’t see going anywhere,” Charania reported. “I think the Spurs feel really good about No. 2. Dylan Harper, he’s already been to the Spurs’ facilities, met them in San Antonio earlier this month. But you know, you never know with the draft. But that’s what it looks like right now.
“… My feel right now is that the Spurs, they have interest in Kevin Durant. They have talked to the Suns — to my understanding — about Kevin Durant. But there is a certain price threshold they’ll go to for a guy like Kevin Durant, and if that price doesn’t align with Phoenix’s, then clearly, there’s just not going to be a deal.”
Charania went on to suggest that the Spurs are likely waiting to use their stockpile of assets on a player who would better fit their timeline, assuming such a player becomes available in the future.
Sam Amick of The Athletic also discussed the Durant situation on FanDuel’s Run It Back show (Twitter video link). According to Amick, the Spurs appear to be the top team on Durant’s wish list.
“(The Suns) clearly don’t like what they’re hearing from San Antonio, Houston and Miami,” Amick said. “And I keep making the distinction, those three teams are not created equal on the list. Kevin has made it clear in different conversations — at times, anyway — that he was really focused on the Spurs. They’re not showing a ton of incentive to get a deal done. It’s one of those things where, if you want to give him to us on our terms, where we don’t really give up a lot, then that would be great.
“Phase two, to me, of these talks is that the Suns clearly like what they could get out of Minnesota. But the Wolves are not gonna play that game at all unless they are confident that Kevin wants to come. And you can tell that Phoenix is kind of trying to nudge him in that direction and compel him to add a fourth team to his list.
“So that, to me, is the interesting dynamic: Does he change his stance on Minnesota?” Amick continued. “If not, when do (the Suns) come off of that and maybe look harder at Miami or one of these other situations. So I still feel like we’re a little ways away.”
On Durant…. Who blinks first…. Neither the Suns or KD want to be married next year… Will the SUNS accept the best of the bad offers… possibly. Heat not giving up Ware…. SA and Houston have mucho assets but does not seem the timelines match, especially SA.
The suns have no leverage so they can’t be the ones who win with the big offer they want, Durant has a ton of leverage because of free agency so that eliminates the twolves and raptors (unless they’re insane)
Spurs would rather go for Giannis and heat don’t have a ton of assets so Houston is the frontrunner
Believe it or not OKC and Golden State could be dark horse candidates but Sam presti never makes huge swings and I don’t think the warriors want to lose butler or draymond
OKC has the MVP and is one win away from a title. Why on earth would they be messing around with 37 year old KD.
Hartenstein isnt worth 30 mil and they can add Isaiah Joe and kenrich Williams or nikola topic and that’s enough salary matching
He’ll end up in Houston I think
Local reporting in PHX has hinted that if they can get a 3rd team to take Jalen Green the suns would take the Houston package that has been offered of Jabari Smith, Jalen Green, Can Whitmore and Phoenix’s pick back this year. The issue is who wants Green and what can they get from that team for him.
I doubt the rockets trade all 3 of green, smith AND whitmore plus a pick. Maybe two with a pick.
According to a suns insider that’s the deal that been offered already. The hold up is the suns aren’t finding the return they want for Green. All hear say obviously.
Most likely a manufactured offer from the Suns end so SA and Miami ups their offer. no way Jabari is added to that deal.
Could be, John gambodora aka Gambo is the insider and he’s typically nails when he reports things. His belief in the inclusion on Jabari smith is because the rockets don’t want to pay him 30+ million a year and his contract is about to be up. Right now Amen and Sengun are pretty much locked to get the Max when it’s time for them to so the rockets are smartly already weighing the financial options.
Package feels right to me
Problem I see is people valuing Geen as a valuable asset
That trade really reads the right to pay Smith almost immediately and a wildcard in whitmore , not too appealing imo – The fact they are looking for Green partners and hearing crickets says it all
The 10 pick is the biggest draw here and I feel has to be in the deal for Phx to comply . I’m w you easy money , a couple 2nds on top might be warranted too
If that deal has been offered the Suns should accept instantly. I seriously doubt it’s on the table.
Durant for Green, Smith, Whitmore and an FRP sounds right to me.
A year or two ago, those 3 players would have felt like too much. Since then, Green and Smith have lost a lot of appeal. Neither look like #1 or #2 guys on a contending team. The fact that Phoenix would like another team to take Green makes sense.
I would take this deal if I were PHX. Obviously you want to push it up as much as you can, but two young starters a rotation player and a lottery pick. Seems like a lot to work with.
IMO there’s no chance that deal is offered by HOU. It’s one too many assets. Both Green and Smith will not be in any deal for Durant.
There’s zero chance the rockets are offering that. All the speculation of the rockets offering green, Jabari, cam and/or Reed Sheppard plus picks has come from the suns. They are clearly trying to create a market for KD. The rockets have no interest in giving up that much for a guy who will be 37 and is wanting a max extension. Everyone talks about the spurs timeline. The rockets are just as young, and haven’t been in a rebuild as long as the spurs, so their runway is just as long. Rockets team sources are saying the trade is FVV, the 10th pick, and possibly Cam, but even Cam being included is not certain. The rockets have said over the last couple of seasons that if they are going to make a big move, it’s going to be for a player in their prime, there’s no reason that they change their stance on that.
That seems more likely to be true than the suns turning down Green, Smith Jr. and # 10. This is ridiculous. Durant is trying to force a trade to teams that are like “meh, I guess we’ll take him”.
Does he give them a ring and is he getting the extension he wants.
I bet that the trade won’t happen until the pick is about to be made on draft night. Specifically that 14th overall pick!
I can see HOU and SAS saying its their way or the highway. There will almost certainly be better long term targets for them. But with MIA, it’s hard to understand. KD may be their one chance to be relevant this year. Of course, we won’t really know the composition of the offers until a deal is made.
Its teh $54 million matching offer that makes it real hard to trade him. How many teams can put up $54 million in a trade without at least 1 bad contract involved. they better not over play their hand thinking they will get a boatload of draft picks.
That’s why Minny makes sense. Maybe not to KD. Well yes to Phoenix.
What I heard today
Durant to Heat discussion
Nic Claxton, Robinson and picks to Suns
4 team deal
As long as the Dubs are not mentioned in any Durant related news, then its a good day here at Hoopsrumors.
When Jimmy-KD 1-1 happens are you going to be okay? Will you need someone to check in with you? Maybe go to the hospital?
Suns will and never trade KD for Butler period. Odds are you will need someone to check in with you when it does not happen or maybe even bring you to the hospital. Maybe Hoopsrumors will be a better place without you, fact!
Also I dont need someone to check on me even if it does happen because my life does not revolve around KD or basketball for that matter. I live a happy life, I doubt you can say that for yourself :)
Nah, I have said every day I don’t care about this if if doesn’t happen, it is just hilarious how pathetic the lengths people are doing to troll me on here….yawn, who cares, talk NBA hoops or shut your mouth!!! Mute my posts if you hate them so much! I don’t get it! Like stop torturing yourselves, you weirdos!!
Kind of conflicting how you keep pushing whatever KD to Warriors idea every single day. But whatever, you do you. Whatever keeps you happy. The world does not revolve around you :)
At Skirk….Warriors also getting Giannis and Luka, depending on the day. Just wait and see.
And theyll go 82-0 in the regular season and 16-0 in the playoffs.
Are you okay buddy? One exclamation point per sentence….or maybe even per post.
When KD is on the Warriors again you better never say a word about me or GSW ever again, deal?
Only agree to such a deal if youll shut up until he is on the Warriors deal?
Also, he’ll never be a Warrior again. He does not have it in him to be 2nd fiddle again to Curry.
I think you bought your crystal ball from an unreputable source :)
So davey when are you going to apologize for that rude comment you made about me last night? Deleted what you said will not change things. Time for you to admit you attack people if they don’t agree with you. You alot of people here an apologize. Start now doing it.
@arc89
This Davey guy wont do any apologizing. You can feel it through his messages that he has no remorse on whatever he is saying specially when he attacks other people at Hoopsrumors.
He deleted what he said because he knows he is wrong for saying it after I laughed at the comment. He then replaced it. He knows he owes myself and many others here an apology for how he talks to people.
So will you shutup now?
Trade for Kyrie and then trade booker.
Please someone else, anyone else, hurry up and trade for him so MN doesn’t get him!! We’d be giving up too much for him.
Heat make sense. If you get Raptors involved. I’m sure Suns would want Ingram.
KD for Jimmy, 1-for-1.
This is also a great place to build a bigger trade with (multi-teams).
Suns wants picks. They want to retool the roster around Booker.
Durant is going into his age 37 season, is on an expiring contract, and has issues staying on the court. The Suns really shouldn’t expect a huge return for potentially 2/3 of a season of Durant.
The only reason the Suns have to even entertain dealing KD is bc Beal is a tool and won’t leave.
Send him to the Bucks. Dame goes to the Nets along with a Bucks FRP, 3 SRPs, #3, two Lakers FRPs, and Dalton. PG goes to the Suns. Sixers get #8, Cam, Maxi, and Gabe.
Too many teams to ever happen but… everyone wins.
Suns don’t go into full blow rebuild, repair relationship w KD. Sixers move off PG, get a legit wing player. Bucks don’t suck, Beal probably will revert back to a 20-25ppg guy. Nets get Ace or VJ, 3 additional FRPs, a young shooter, and in a year Dame is back whom they can deal.
was trying to follow this… what do the Lakers get? I see that they give 2 1sts, Knecht, Kleber & Vincent. What do they get?
Lakers Only have 1 first to parcel but I’m curious as well ha
I’d bet Claxton is the mystery name as the Vincent kleba knecht salaries are in that range
Oh Beal, really is making his bank.
Yeah thats a special person. Knows full well Phoenix don’t want him in any way.
The odds are still with Houston. Why? Simple. They need him the most. They got knocked out of the playoffs because they didn’t have a go to shooter. Durant is still one of the greatest shooters of all time. The NBA is no longer a “long timeline” league. Rookie extensions have changed that. After three seasons, a young player is already expecting it. Yeah, you can project longer into the future with Wemby, ok. But the Rockets had a very good team this year, just not good enough. In 2027, that may be a very different team. You strike the iron now for 2026 with a Durant trade and give your team a shot.
The Bucks have many big trades lately. If they were to give up Dame and what else for Durant and Beal what would they have to add to the deal. I assume Beal is a negative value but then Dame is partly negative as well.
Has anyone else suggested this above?