The Suns are not promising to move Kevin Durant to one of his preferred destinations, reports Marc Stein for The Stein Line. While the team is amenable to the idea of a win-win trade, should the offered trade package meet what it’s looking for, Phoenix is intent on getting the best return to position itself for a Durant-less future.
Given that the team surrendered much of its first-round draft pick equity as well as valuable players in Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson to bring Durant in, recouping as much value as possible is crucial as they attempt to reshape the roster on the fly around Devin Booker.
So while the Spurs, Rockets, and Heat remain in Durant’s sights, as the Knicks would have been if they had not withdrawn from consideration, Stein writes that the Raptors or a hitherto-undiscussed team could still be in play.
We have more from the Suns:
- Duane Rankin of Arizona Republic confirms Stein’s reporting, while adding that finding a balance between the team’s interests and doing right by the player can be important in a league that is increasingly star-driven. Another factor that Rankin says will play a big part is the pressure on newly elevated general manager Brian Gregory to impress ownership and fans with the trade return after the team underperformed dramatically last season.
- People in the league expect a Durant deal to happen as early as this coming week, reports Rankin. Rankin adds that the Rockets would appear to be the ideal destination for Durant, given their young, defensive infrastructure and bounty of both players and draft capital to use in a trade.
- Ryan Nembhard, brother of Pacers’ starting guard Andrew Nembhard, is set to visit the Suns for a pre-draft workout this week, according to Rankin. The Gonzaga guard, who averaged 10.5 points and an NCAA-leading 9.8 assists per game this season, is set to visit more than 15 teams, Rankin writes.
They don’t owe Durant anything. Trade him to the team that gives you the best pieces.
He doesn’t owe them anything either. He could just play out the season and walk or just refuse to report to a team he didn’t want to play for. He wouldn’t get paid in that scenario but it’s not like he needs the money.
He loves and respects the sport too much to even consider doing something like that. He’s no Ben Simmons.
He just won’t sign an extension and then teams won’t offer as muc
Jimmy and KD spotted hanging out…Jimmy doing potential recruiting?
Haven’t dropped this one yet, but this is a nice interesting starting point for a framework for a trade:
KD for Draymond, Buddy, Moody + 2 firsts + other teams come in to make it a multi-teamer to even the money out. Maybe Buddy and Moody don’t even end up on Phoenix, and they get better fitting players via a multi-team trade. Although Draymond -does- work well there.
No one is offering a better deal than this. Suns winning 50+ with this deal as are GSW.
Buddy and Moody more SG’s to go with Booker Beal and Allen. Still no point guard, a lack of forwards and a need at centre but you think they win 50+ games lol
Stop with the GSW delusion
“Maybe Buddy and Moody don’t even end up on Phoenix,”
Just gunna totally ignore key words and phrases, not a bright one are we?
Says the guy that been posting for months about a Jimmy for KD 1:1 and now is convinced Jimmy is recruiting.
“ KD for Draymond, Buddy, Moody + 2 firsts + other teams come in to make it a multi-teamer to even the money out.”
Well nobody has ever accused Davey of being bright smart educated or knowledgable.
Personally I think the Thunder should bring home the prodigal son and let him win a championship where he began it all and made name for himself all those years.
Dort
Joe
Williams
Dieng
Topic
Mitchell
work money wise
Add picks to make the deal work from the Thunders stockpile
Suns picks up young players in Dieng Topic former lottery picks, intriguing player in Mitchell , a reliable role player in Dort, can cut Joe Williams if they wish and acquire draft picks including this years 15th pick.
Now that the bane deal is done we can move onto smaller fish such as old kd
Sadly for PHO is not about what they want, but more about what KD wants… any team that is not on his list of preferred teams should not offer anywhere near what the teams that are on his list should offer. If he gets traded to a team that he is not happy with he won’t extend his contract, so who’s going to pay a king’s ransom for a one year rental?