With trade negotiations heating up ahead of the June 25 draft, the Rockets, Heat, and Timberwolves have been the teams most seriously engaged with the Suns in recent days about a potential deal for Kevin Durant, ESPN’s Shams Charania said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Friday (Twitter video link).
“(The Suns have) had about six to eight teams reach out,” Charania said. “There’s been interest, there’s been some offers, there’s been some negotiations. But really in the last 24 to 48 hours, I’m told, the focus of the Suns’ conversations has been on a few of the teams: the Houston Rockets, the Miami Heat, and the Minnesota Timberwolves. I’m told those are the three teams right now where a lot of the focus for Durant lies.”
When Charania reported earlier this week that the Suns, Durant, and KD’s business partner and manager Rich Kleiman were sifting through potential trade scenarios, he mentioned those three clubs, along with the Knicks and Spurs, as possibilities for the superstar forward.
Since then, multiple reports from beat writers covering the Knicks have indicated New York isn’t pursuing Durant, while a report on Thursday suggested there’s growing skepticism about San Antonio acquiring the former MVP.
That doesn’t mean that Houston, Miami, and Minnesota are the only suitors still in the mix, however.
When John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (YouTube link) discussed the situation during a radio appearance on Thursday, he said he’s also keeping an eye on the Spurs, Raptors, and Clippers in addition to the Rockets, Heat, and Timberwolves, adding that there may be a couple other wild-card teams in play too. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst also mentioned the Clippers today as a possible Durant suitor.
Gambadoro also mentioned that he believes Durant prefers to end up with one of the Texas teams – San Antonio and Houston – though that sounds more like informed speculation than hard reporting.
Interestingly, both Charania and Gambadoro believe a trade could be consummated well in advance of the draft. Gambadoro said during Thursday’s Burns & Gambo show that he’s predicting a deal will occur at some point next week. Asked on Friday on McAfee’s show about that report, Charania concurred.
“You said a week. I think it could be even sooner than that,” Charania said. “I think there’s some motivation with some teams. Potentially even sooner than seven days. Maybe in the next few days we could get some Kevin Durant trade action.”
As Kurt Helin of NBC Sports points out, commissioner Adam Silver and the league office have typically discouraged teams from making (or at least leaking) mid-June blockbuster trades that would upstage the NBA Finals, so even though there appears to be traction on the Durant front, that’s a factor to consider when projecting a timeline for an agreement.
The NBA Finals could end on Monday at the earliest, with a potential Game 6 scheduled for Thursday (June 19) and Game 7 to be played next Sunday (June 22), if necessary.
It seems like wherever KD ends up at this point will be less interesting than whatever the team gives up for him. Not sure if it’s story fatigue or if he is past being the difference maker he is hyped to be.
I think some teams are wary of giving him that extension he is looking for.
Feel Phoenix would want to deal with Houston considering they likely want their own draft capital back somehow. May be tough to make work without FVV’s contract, but all signs point to him returning. Jalen Green, salary fillers, 10th pick this year and a future Phoenix pick?
FVV will probably want a extensionsigned if he goes to the Suns. If Suns are rebuilding taking a package from Suns would be best for them.
Quote From reporter 👑 Robinson
A Suns source with knowledge tells me. “The Texas teams are out …….”
San Antonio Spurs offered the Phoenix Suns the No. 14 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft as part of a potential Kevin Durant trade.
The Suns declined.
A well-placed Suns source tells me the Spurs did not offer the No. 2 pick in the 2025 Draft. Both the Spurs and Rockets are effectively out of the KD sweepstakes unless they come back with a stronger offer.
And as a Rockets fan, that’s welcome news. Anything more than a mid 1st round and filler seems high.
It’s right move for Rockets. VanVleet is unlikely to be in the deal
Let’s be honest
Without Durant, Rockets are not going anywhere in Playoffs.
You rely on Jalen Green? Are you serious?
Idea
Suns get Green, Smith, Landale, Witmore and picks
Witmore wants to be traded. If Smith does not get extension, he wants to be traded?
Green, Booker and Beal, three overpaid shooting guards. More deals would follow
Nets can take Jalan Green and 2 protected Firsts
I’ll agree on Beal and Green but Booker isn’t not overpaid my guy.
I can’t see Houston trading Green AND Jabari for KD. One, plus picks and salary filler. Go read about how they feel about Jabari Smith, they love him.
Green is purely a negative. None of the other top SGs failed as hard as he has in their first playoff series.
Mitchell, Booker, Edwards, SGA, Luka, etc
All of them did well in their first playoff series. Extremely well. Jalen Green scored 9 points a game. He’s paid close to a top guy and is actually just Kevin Porter Jr
i agree that they will not be trading Jabari since he is the one that will replace Green if he is traded. it would be Whitmore and Landale as fillers.
I’ve read and heard on AZ sports radio that the word is the Suns do not want Green, and if he is to be a piece of the trade, more than likely will be traded to another team. It seems that Whitmore, the 10th pick in this draft, and the picks Houston received from Brooklyn that once belonged to Phoenix is what is being discussed in this trade. So, this trade could involve 3 or maybe 4 teams when all said and done.
Good news, desertdawg
Additional salary of KD (KD minus Green)
New salary of Smith starts in 2026
A lot of money
It’s so funny reading these comments and seeing how absolutely clueless most of you are when it comes to talking about this stuff, especially when the rockets are involved 😂
You cant read Sillivan without reading Silli
Green MAVS
Gafford/J.Smith/Whitmore/Martín SUNS
KD HOUSTON
“Without Durant, Rockets are not going anywhere in Playoffs.”
So you’ve chosen one player out of 450 that there are in the league (based on what?), and declared that Houston aren’t going anywhere without him?
Spend less time obsessing over fictitious NBA trades, pal. You’ll have a healthier view of basketball.
KD at 37 yrs old is NOT pulling in a major haul. Be thankful for good young star, talent. And a pick. Rest is salary fillers. All three of those teams have something to offer imo.
If it’s Heat. I don’t take Wiggins. Has to be a third team involved then. Better it’s Raptors. Try and get Ingram.
Not buying it. Kleiman has to build up interest by saying there are teams involved and things are heating up.
I just don’t understand why GSW isn’t being mentioned now when:
1) GSW tried to acquire KD at the deadline and apparently had the deal done before KD said “I’m vetoing all midseason trades, I am not being traded in-season”. But its off season now, so that is a bunk reason.
2) Jimmy said he wanted to be in Phoenix first, before GSW got him. He wants to be there more than on GSW.
3) Jimmy refused to do his job as #1 scorer behind Steph, when Steph got injured and Jimmy said “Im pass-first, get everyone involved” – it made the Warriors useless with no primary scorer, and they lost every game. Dray and Jimmy offensively make no sense together – that’s too many playmakers. Phoenix has no playmaker but 2 excellent scorers for Jimmy to feed. KD provides no-Curry offense. This fits both teams like a glove. Makes no sense how GSW aren’t at least in the mix here, offering Jimmy for KD 1-1. If Phoenix can get a better package than Jimmy for KD, sure, have at it – but that won’t happen.
Don’t believe Phoenix wants Jimmy and the salary, I believe they want a Houston deal for KD and do a little re-building with the eye on gathering future draft picks. Then there was a story about Washington maybe interested in re-acquiring Brady Beal for an ex-Warrior Poole and a couple picks. Then in 2027 is the year they deal Booker and get their haul of players and draft pick to kick start their total rebuild.
KD doesn’t want to go to the warriors lol
> KD doesn’t want to go to the warriors lol
KD said exactly that only 3 months ago.
Lacob, Dunleavey, Kerr, Steph and Draymond were publicly REJECTED.
Why would they embarrass themselves again, especially given how it would make Butler feel?
Suns need to rebuild, retool. They don’t need Jimmy. They have to get younger and deeper. That simple. Warriors can do it another way.
Suns deaing with Houston makes so much sense as they can potentially get their picks back and start rebuilding. Butler does not make damn sense any longer for the Suns.
Makes sense for the suns, not the rockets
Only makes sense for the Rockets if they desperately want a go to scorer. Green aint cutting it as seen in the 1st Round.
@Davey J
GSW not being mentioned because you are not always right. And you dont know ball at all.
Im glad that GSW is not considered as a landing spot for KD. Because its god damn obvious to everybody else who has a brain that there are more better packages than a straight up KD-Butler swap.
^ fair enough, that makes sense. Im not sure Houston will play ball with them but your analysis is sound.
DaveyJ, I don’t believe the W’s “almost got KD”. The two teams were talking and the Warriors were highly motivated, but it never reached the details because KD nixed the deal. That’s what Dunleavey and Lakob say, and I’m not inclined to disagree.
There were reports here that the Warriors offered 2 firsts, plus swaps + JK + Wiggins, but, as we’ll see from the trade when it happens shortly, just 4 months after February, KD’s value isn’t nearly that high.
KD is 37 years old. He’s got 2 years left, 3 max. He’s averaged < 55 games the last 6 years. He was injured to end this past season. Way too risky.
I like the all-geezer squad. Davey is right, Butler and Durant would each fit better on the other team. Shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic gets a bad rap
As a GSW fan here, I see a lot of denial about what happens to players in their late 30’s. No team, including San Antonio in 2014, has won a Chip with a core this old.
IMO, Lacob + Dunleavey are ruthlessly realistic. They’re looking for players that will play more minutes, not less.
Come on aristole we are talking Davy who been saying for 4 years now KD is coming back and warriors get Giannis. All warrior fans beside him knows it is not happening. I can’t wait until bi oth are traded and no more KD or Giannis talk.
arc89 You’re right. Time for DubNation to put KD behind us for good.
I don’t blame DaveyJ for wishing, tho.
@arc89
Davey will keep on saying KD to Warriors and Giannis to Warriors even after they retire. You can bet on it.
Yeah I’m not sure why anyone would want to add an old man to their old team. They should absolutely be seeking youth.
Indy will wrap it up by Monday, right?
SGA got the MVP undeservedly & it will lose the finals undeservedly as well, at least there’s some justice out there, right?
@aristotle I believe Draymond Green when he says KD was on the way and KD was the only one who nixed it.