Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported earlier this week that the Suns have made multiple calls to the Rockets about Kevin Durant since the end of the season and have “gradually lowered” their asking price for the star forward during those discussions. However, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter links) strongly disputes those claims, referring to them as “beyond untrue.”
According to Gambadoro, the Suns haven’t spoken to the Rockets since February and had put a potential Durant trade on the back-burner while they hired a new general manager and head coach. Now that those tasks have been crossed off their offseason to-do list, they’ll begin having conversations with potential trade partners about Durant, Gambadoro adds.
During a TV appearance on Thursday (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Shams Charania reiterated – as he reported during the season – that there was some mutual interest between Durant and the Knicks prior to February’s trade deadline. According to Charania, New York made an offer for Durant at that time.
A deal involving Devin Booker‘s former Kentucky teammate Karl-Anthony Towns would probably be the simplest way for the Knicks to acquire Durant, since Towns and KD will have very similar cap figures next season. But Gambadoro said during Thursday’s Burns & Gambo show (Twitter video link) that he has heard the Suns don’t have interest in Towns and would prefer a return centered around OG Anunoby or Mikal Bridges if they were to make a trade with the Knicks.
Charania cited sources this week who said that Durant is expected to draw serious interest from approximately four to six teams this summer.
Charania has previously identified New York, Golden State, Minnesota, Houston, San Antonio, and Miami as clubs who expressed some level of interest prior to the trade deadline, though it’s not clear whether all of those teams would renew their interest during the offseason. During the Burns & Gambo clip linked above, Gambadoro also pointed to the Clippers as a team to watch for Durant.
Of course, Durant won’t be the Suns’ only big-name trade candidate to monitor in the coming weeks. Bradley Beal is also expected to be on the trade block, but will be far more difficult to move due to his salary (nearly $111MM over the next two years) relative to his production, as well as the fact that his contract contains a no-trade clause.
According to Gambadoro (Twitter links), the Suns don’t want to bring back Beal, but he may be prove to be unmovable this summer, as he was prior to the trade deadline. If that’s the case, the club is expected to explore the possibility of a buyout, but there’s no guarantee that the veteran guard would go for that idea.
If Beal can’t be traded or bought out, the Suns would have to keep him and try to rebuild his value, per Gambadoro (Twitter link), who notes that head coaching candidates during Phoenix’s interview process were asked how they’d use the three-time All-Star.
If they can get KAT for KD you def gotta give that heavy consideration. Suns main issue for the longest has been pg tho & this will be again be a top priority for them. KD & Grayson to Memphis for Ja, Clarke & GG makes sense for both teams. More than anything it’s just wild that Brian Gregory is an NBA GM rn lol. Id be highly surprised if he was able to consistently make the type of decisions that would stop this teams descent to the bottom of the West.
Suns can’t aggregate salaries. 2nd apron
Unless I am mistaken which I could because I’m not a cap expert. The 2025-2026 second apron is 207 mil. Suns current cap hold is 215. Cody Martin and Vasilije Micic both have non guaranteed deals that the suns can cut to get them below the second apron.
Suns have about $197MM in guaranteed money on their books for seven roster spots. Doubt they’ll waive Nick Richards, so he’d be another $5MM. Throw in minimum salaries to round out the roster, as well as the cap charge for their first-round pick, and they’ll have to operate over the second apron unless they shed more salaries than just Martin/Micic.
Having said that, there are scenarios in which they could include multiple players in the same trade without aggregating their salaries.
I just plugged in into espn and fanspo and declining those two guys gets them under the 2nd apron. They don’t need to fill out the roster before trading KD as long as they are under while trading him.
JustBallin has a video showing it as well
link to youtube.com
Those sites aren’t accounting for any cap holds — just player salaries.
There’s a path for the Suns to get under the second apron, maybe even as part of a trade where they aggregate salaries (like the Bucks did at the deadline), but they won’t open the league yet under the second apron unless they move off more than just Micic/Martin and their FAs.
The whole reason to trade KD is to lower payroll and get younger so why would they want Towns who cost more in the future? Just more lazy sport writing for those who write it because they say hey look they make the same right now so make up a trade.
Lowering payroll & getting younger are nice but the primary goal of a KD trade (or any move they make) should be to make the team better. They arguably get better short term & long term by trading KD for KAT. But like I said I’d be more interested in a deal for an elite pg like Ja.
KAT is not going to make the team better and its going to hurt them more in teh future with higher payroll. They would be lucky to be a play in team next year with this roster. they have 0 money to sign free agents they are so far over the cap. Next year they would have the same problem if KAT is added. It would be better to trade him for yopung players and draft picks than another over priced player. If they brought in KAT they would be over $210 million so you have no flexability.
The Suns are in such a bad spot financially and structurally that they can’t even waive and stretch Beal as an option? Damn.
KAT (and 1 filler) for KD might be the best player they’d get back in a trade. It does change their team makeup.
Beal, Booker, Royce, KAT, and Richards is prob the lineup I’d roll out atm since they don’t have a PG on the roster currently.
Suns would be a good landing spot for one of those fringe guys to stay in the league. Tyus should move on… Dinwiddie, Payne, Monte, Wright anyone really that can handle the ball should be in play.
Team won’t win anything but at least shouldn’t forfeit a top lottery pick.
Nobody wants Beal because of that bad contract so the suns are stuck with him. KAT would be a bad trade because he is owed more money in the future. Best fior them is hold onto KD until a real team come calling and offer younger players. Suns are just not getting a bunch of young players and draft picks back.
Suns just need to trade everyone and start over.
Exactly they need to do a rebuild. The west is going to be even tougher next year with Spurs and Rockets who should be better. They are stuck with Beal’s contract so best to buy it out and take the loss.
Arc89, you are EVERYWHERE in these comments sections! I’m gonna have to VERY respectfully disagree with you on this. The more I think about KD and KAT swapping places, the more I’m thinking “go for it, you two!” – “two” meaning Suns and Knicks ownership. Ishbia doesn’t wanna let Booker down by completely tanking – especially when it appears Book is about to become the main man again in The Valley of the Sun. Reunite the long-time Sun with his college running mate, include Bridges in the trade, and Phoenix is back to becoming the talk of the southwest (sorry Cardinals and DBacks). They can’t do anything about Beal, so embrace the fact he’ll be a Sun for at least one more year. Send out KD, Allen, and another contract around 8 mil to match things up. This is a win-win for BOTH franchises!
The problem is not next season but for the next 3 seasons with Towns being over paid. It only makes sense for the Suns in a 3 way trade where they are getting back young players and draft picks. They will not win anymore games with Towns than they did with KD. Suns problem is they have no bench. So you can’t handicap them of having no spending money for free agents in the next 3 years. The team needs to go through a rebuild or just be a nmediocre team that watches the playoffs for a long time.
Bench could consist of guys like Dunn, O’Neale (or maybe a cheaper replacement), Martin or Micić (whichever isn’t traded to NY), Richards/Ighodaro, bring back Jones and Bol (on the cheap), and draft/recent draft picks (Gillespie?)
PG-Beal (make him a combo guard)
SG-Booker (handles the point too)
SF-Bridges*
PF-KAT*
C-Richards/Ighodaro
=47-51 wins for 2025-26
Best they could hope for is a 40 win team. Booker is a SG not a PG. Just adding KAT and losing KD is not going to impriove them 11 to 14 wins. Their draft picks are 29th and 52nd so its a long shot that they find a player that is more than a 10 minute player. I still say they need to rebuild the team with a good trade for KD.
I’m leaning to Houston for a KD trade, Houston has a lot of Phoenix future draft picks, I say the 10th pick in this draft, two future first round picks, Whitmore and Van Fleet. My second deal is trading Booker, now is the time to get something while he has some strong trade value. Maybe look to Dallas, with Kyrie being injured into the 2026 season you’re not going to get their first pick in this draft but maybe get future ones plus a big and another player. As far as Beal, this is the one that may not get done until sometime during the 2o26 season, it may take a move like just have him stay away from the building mode until a team has a injury and could take on Beal while the Suns pay off a good portion of the contract to get a team to take him. Face it the Suns are in a bad position with the Beal situation. It is time for the Suns to do a total rebuild just like Houston, and Oklahoma City has done, take the draft picks from trading Durant, Booker and maybe whatever you get from trading Beal take the beatings of the losses for 2 to 3 years and build a team that can compete and is hungry. The real fans will understand.
If they do the KAT for KD trade, maybe they try and move some veterans for younger cheaper pieces that aren’t exactly in teams plans.
KD for KAT and Kolek
Richards for Dalton and #55.
Grayson for Pat and Utahs 26 2nd
Royce for Landale and their 29 Swap Rights
They’d be able to dip under the second apron with some more moves.
If you are going to gut the team for a rebuild why not trade KD for draft picks and young players?
I don’t see them getting all of their picks back.. they can’t tank, but they can reduce salaries to get under the 2nd apron.
Might as well let KD walk because bring in Towns would only hurt them for 2 extra years over the line. Unless Towns can be sent to a third team for young players and draft picks.
You mean now that the Beal trade didn’t work out they are not able to move him? Who could have foreseen that? Well don’t worry, now that Ishbia is going to be MORE involved things are going to get better. /s
If they swap KD for KAT… one must wonder what sweeteners PHO would have to add to KD, I mean right now KAT is much better than KD and is much younger, right?
The KAT talk I just don’t see happening, Knicks big move was sacking Thibs don’t see them being bold enough to do anything else nearly as drastic.
As for the TWolves I don’t see the suns getting a good enough return
So I think the best idea would be the rockets.
I think the likely return would be FVV, Jabari Smith Jr, this year’s 10th overall pick, the 2027 Suns pick and their 2029 pick back.
You dont need to go begging for Cam to be included or try sneak out extra bits and pieces just take what’s likely on offer.
Suns should then do their best to get rid of Bradley Beal which I know won’t be easy but he’s only got 2 years left on his contract and last year his numbers weren’t bad. He just doesn’t make any sense on this team with Devin Booker.
Might sound crazy but what about PG for Beal straight swap?
PG may be older and signed on for a longer term contract but atleast he fills a need and would fit well with this team built around Booker. You’ve got your picks back so you can afford to risk it.
As for the Sixers they get out of that big deal for 2 years of Beal which would better suit drafting an Ace Bailey aswell and allow for McCain to come off the bench .
Suns
FVV Booker PG Jabari Richards
Jakucionis Allen Dunn … Raynaud
Knowing Fred will be off the books and you have your picks back plus you’ve now got a decent group of young players while still being a good side on paper. This would be a complete turnaround from this franchise.