Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Rudy Gobert Will Reportedly Miss EuroBasket 2025

June 21st, 2025 at 12:00pm CST by Rory Maher

Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert will not compete in this summer’s EuroBasket tournament, according to Yann Ohnona of French outlet L’Equipe.

A longtime member of France’s national team, Gobert suggested in February that he was likely to sit out the event, per RealGM.

“After the Euro, it’s always harder, that’s when you feel the backlash. And you don’t recover the same at 33 years old than at 23,” said Gobert, who turns 33 next week.

The four-time Defensive Player of the Year has not missed an international competition with France since 2017, Ohnona writes. That was also a EuroBasket tournament.

Gobert, who was named to the All-Defensive Second Team this season with Minnesota, has won a total of six medals with France, including a pair of silvers at the 2021 and 2024 Olympics. Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is also considered unlikely to play for France this summer after being diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis — a blood clot — in his right shoulder in February, Ohnona notes.

EuroBasket 2025 begins August 27 and runs through September 14.

Latest From Fischer, Stein: KD, Suns, Ware, Raptors, Knicks, Donovan

June 21st, 2025 at 10:37am CST by Rory Maher

The Suns continue to project confidence that a trade involving star forward Kevin Durant will be agreed to before June 25, the first night of the 2025 NBA draft, sources tell Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).

According to the authors, Phoenix’s front office — led by new general manager Brian Gregory — is “quietly hopeful” it will be able to land a first-round pick in a potential Durant deal to use next Wednesday. The team currently controls one late first-rounder (No. 29 overall) and one late second-rounder (No. 52).

Fischer and Stein point to the first-round selections controlled by the Raptors (No. 9), Rockets (No. 10), Timberwolves (No. 17) and Heat (No. 20) as examples of some of the picks the Suns have tried to acquire in Durant trade talks. But they also haven’t been thrilled with the offers they’ve received to this point, which is why a deal has yet to come together.

Here’s more from The Stein Line duo:

The Heat have been “firmly against” including big man Kel’el Ware in their offers to the Suns for Durant, sources tell Fischer and Stein. The 15th pick of last year’s draft, Ware was named to the All-Rookie Second Team in 2024/25 after a solid debut season. Phoenix is believed to be prioritizing draft capital from Miami with Ware evidently off-limits.
Fischer and Stein confirm that the Raptors also are unwilling to part with starting center Jakob Poeltl to acquire Durant. Assuming he isn’t moved, league sources tell The Stein Line that Toronto and the Austrian big man have mutual interest in a contract extension “in the near future.”
Toronto continues to be active in trade talks, particularly when it comes to the draft. According to Fischer and Stein, the Raptors have expressed an openness to moving down from No. 9, but have also discussed the possibility of trying to add a second lottery pick. No matter which pick(s) they ultimately control, rival teams believe the Raptors are focused on drafting a center.
The Knicks are not expected to hire a head coach until after next week’s draft, which will take place over two days (the second round is on Thursday), one person familiar with the matter told The Stein Line. Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins interviewed for the job this week and both of the former head coaches are believed to have “levels of support” in New York. According to Fischer and Stein, Brown is said to be close with executive William Wesley, while Jenkins reportedly impressed the team in his interview.
Although New York was denied permission to interview Billy Donovan, the Bulls claim their extension talks with their head coach preceded that request, per Fischer and Stein. “They love him,” one source familiar with management’s thinking said of Chicago’s fondness for Donovan. Stein first reported that the Bulls and Donovan were finalizing an extension.
In case you missed it, Fischer and Stein also reported that multiple teams have shown interest in Suns wing Cody Martin as part of the Durant trade talks.

Northwest Notes: Blazers, Nuggets, Randle, Reid, Wolves

June 20th, 2025 at 8:02pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Trail Blazers have a lot of decisions to make this summer, writes Sean Highkin for Rose Garden Report (Substack link). The ostensibly still-rebuilding team has 10 players who will either be extension-eligible or on an expiring contract for the coming season.

The amount of talent on the roster makes predicting extensions more complicated, with Anfernee Simons being a prime example. A young veteran who’s only 26 years old, Simons has reached a more consistent level as a scorer than Scoot Henderson or extension-eligible Shaedon Sharpe, making moving him less of a priority than fans around the league might think.

Deandre Ayton is another interesting case, as his presence prevents Donovan Clingan from starting, but his on-court production may be worth more to the Blazers than what he would return in a trade.

Sharpe and Toumani Camara are perhaps Portland’s most interesting extension candidates. Sharpe has the skill set to be an offensive star, but inconsistency, injuries, and a lack of attention to detail have kept his game inconsistent thus far, which could make it hard for him and the Blazers to find a middle ground number.

Camara, fresh off being named to the All-Defensive second team, could lock in a four-year extension worth up to $90MM, but as a former second-round pick with a valuable skill set, it might be worth betting on himself in the hopes of receiving a bigger payday next summer.

We have more news from the Northwest division:

The NBA draft is five days away and free agency is hot on its heels. Given their need to make smart, cost-controlled roster moves on the margin, it’s problematic that the Nuggets still don’t have a permanent general manager, argues Sean Keeler of the Denver Post. The team currently has Ben Tenzer as its interim GM, but with the draft and free agency around the corner, there’s a need for organizational clarity — and for other teams to know who they’re dealing with if they come calling for trades. Former Nuggets president Pete Babcock spoke to Keeler on the subject. “The standard operating procedure is (to) have someone in place,” Babcock said. “If their job was to put the puzzle together and build the team, you want them to be in place before the draft, so they’d have a say as to how things are going to come down.”
It seems unlikely that the Nuggets will move any of their starters this summer, writes Spotrac’s Keith Smith in his offseason preview. The team will largely have to rely on internal development for improvement, though if they do make a move or choose not to bring back one of Russell Westbrook, DeAndre Jordan, or Vlatko Cancar, they could have their $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception to add another depth piece. Guerschon Yabusele, Tyus Jones, and Larry Nance Jr. are among the names floated by Smith.
Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch says he’s expecting both Julius Randle and Naz Reid back with the team next year, says The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski (via Twitter). Both forwards hold player options for 2025/26, which puts the decision at least partially out of the Wolves’ hands, but Minnesota is in win-now mode and would have few mechanisms to replace the contributions of the duo if they were to depart, so retaining them will likely be a high priority.
The Timberwolves will be looking to revamp their business operations department, as CEO Ethan Casson and COO Ryan Tanke are stepping down amidst the team’s change in ownership, reports Krawczynski (via Twitter).

Trade Rumors: Kings, Holiday, Young, Wizards, Celtics, Wolves

June 20th, 2025 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Asked during a radio appearance on Sactown Sports 1140 (YouTube link) this week about the Kings‘ offseason plans and whether new general manager Scott Perry might make drastic changes to the roster, Sam Amick of The Athletic said Sacramento is exploring “a lot” of possibilities.

“I don’t know how much they’re going to overhaul the roster,” Amick said (hat tip to Brian Robb of MassLive.com). “But I think they are looking at big stuff, I think they’re looking at small stuff. The point guard pursuit is very real. I don’t know where they will land on that front. It’s kind of an ‘If only Jrue Holiday was five years younger’-type thing. I think that type of option has been considered and explored, but is imperfect because of his age.

“If you go younger, a lot of Trae Young rumors. My understanding is that there’s not interest there unless it came attached to a bunch of first-round picks.”

While Holiday has been one of the NBA’s best two-way players for years, the Celtics veteran is entering his age-35 season and is owed $104.4MM over the next three years. Young, meanwhile, is one of the NBA’s top play-makers but isn’t a great defender and lacks positional size. The Hawks guard is owed $46MM in 2025/26 and could become an unrestricted free agent a year from now if he declines a player option worth nearly $49MM.

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:

The Wizards have explored trading up from No. 6 in the hopes of landing a long-term point guard like Dylan Harper or Jeremiah Fears and have been willing to part with “surprising names” in their conversations about the second overall pick, reports Grant Afseth of RG.org. However, those efforts have been rebuffed, with the Spurs still considered likely to hang onto that No. 2 pick. As Afseth explains, stabilizing the point guard position has become a priority for the rebuilding Wizards, who have also done extensive due diligence on point guard prospects who may be on the board at No. 18.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Shams Charania reiterated that it will be very difficult to convince the Celtics to move either Jaylen Brown or Derrick White this summer. “I’m sure teams are throwing crazy offers for guys like Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, but it’ll take a pretty insurmountable package to get those guys out of Boston,” Charania said.
While the Timberwolves are reportedly hoping Suns forward Kevin Durant warms to the idea of playing in Minnesota, current Wolves star Anthony Edwards isn’t actively recruiting his former Olympic teammate, ESPN’s Marc J. Spears and Brian Windhorst said on NBA Today this week (YouTube link; hat tip to RealGM).

Latest On Kevin Durant

June 19th, 2025 at 4:28pm CST by Rory Maher

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.”

Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Durant, DeRozan, Kuminga, Sixers, Yabusele, Flagg

June 19th, 2025 at 8:05am CST by Arthur Hill

Potential moves around the NBA are on hold as the league waits for the Suns to finalize a Kevin Durant trade, according to Mark Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

They mention Kings forward DeMar DeRozan as a player who could be a “fallback trade target” for unsuccessful Durant suitors and cite a report from James Ham of The Kings Beat, who said on his podcast this week that the Heat may be among the teams that pursue DeRozan.

Sources tell Stein and Fischer that Miami has previously expressed interest in forward Jonathan Kuminga, who’s about to become a restricted free agent, and could become a sign-and-trade partner for the Warriors, echoing a report earlier this week from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

After weeks of speculation, there still doesn’t appear to be a clear favorite to land Durant, who’s widely expected to be dealt before the first night of the NBA draft on Wednesday. Stein and Fischer state that the Spurs and Rockets haven’t seen a need to increase their offers, being reluctant to add an older player to their young cores and knowing that Phoenix wants to resolve the situation quickly. The Timberwolves are still interested, but are hesitant to go all in with their offer without some indication that Durant would consider an extension.

Stein and Fischer share more inside information from around the league:

A source tells the authors that the Sixers are currently expected to hold onto their No. 3 pick in the draft. They add that Philadelphia is still interested in trading up with San Antonio to grab Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, but the Spurs appear set on keeping the No. 2 selection. The report on the Sixers’ plans came before news broke late Wednesday that Ace Bailey has called off his scheduled workout with the team.
Stein and Fischer point out that the guaranteed contract for the No. 3 choice will add an $11.1MM salary to the Sixers‘ books next season. Sources tell them that Philadelphia plans to operate either near or above the second apron as they hope for improved health from Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey. Stein and Fischer expect Kelly Oubre, Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon to all pick up their player options, and sources tell them that re-signing Quentin Grimes remains an offseason priority. They add that it will become “increasingly challenging” to retain big man Guerschon Yabusele, who’s expected to draw strong interest on the free agent market.
Stein and Fischer hear that Cooper Flagg was “impressive” this week as he traveled to Dallas to meet with general manager Nico Harrison, coach Jason Kidd and other Mavericks officials. Flagg also worked out for about an hour, displaying the skills that have made him a lock to be the No. 1 pick.

Suns, Wolves Hoping Durant Warms To Minnesota Possibility

June 17th, 2025 at 8:08am CST by Luke Adams

Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Monday that Kevin Durant has “no desire” to be traded to the Timberwolves, but the Suns and Wolves are still hoping he’ll warm to the idea, league sources tell Sam Amick and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

Durant doesn’t have the ability to veto a trade, so Phoenix and Minnesota would be free to work out an agreement that sends the former MVP to the Timberwolves, even if he’s unwilling to immediately sign an extension with his new team.

However, after advancing to the Western Conference Finals in each of the past two seasons, the Wolves are reluctant to make a significant roster change if the incoming star isn’t on board, according to Amick and Krawczynski, who note that Rudy Gobert‘s enthusiasm for Minnesota was one reason president of basketball operations Tim Connelly gave up a substantial haul to acquire the big man in 2022.

As The Athletic’s duo writes, the Wolves believed when they spoke with the Suns at the trade deadline in February that Durant was open to playing in Minnesota, given his friendship with Anthony Edwards, his D.C.-area ties with Connelly, and the opportunity to team up with Jaden McDaniels, whose defensive prowess would reduce the pressure on KD at that end of the court. However, the Wolves have been made aware during their recent discussions with the Suns that Durant wants to play elsewhere.

Durant reportedly prefers to end up with the Spurs, Rockets, or Heat – and San Antonio may be atop that list, per The Athletic – but the offers from those teams haven’t been especially compelling from the Suns’ perspective, as Amick and Krawczynski explain. If Durant were more enthusiastic about Minnesota, the Wolves could feel more confident about making an aggressive play for him, which may in turn inspire another suitor to increase its bid.

“Phoenix is trying to drum up better offers,” one rival executive told The Athletic.

The Rockets have had “meaningful” talks with the Suns about Durant and have put a firm offer on the table, but Phoenix was underwhelmed by that proposal, according to Amick and Krawczynski, who hear from league sources that San Antonio has been “conservative” in its pursuit of the 15-time All-Star.

As for the Heat, it’s unclear whether they have the right pieces to really entice the Suns, since salary-matching veterans such as Andrew Wiggins and/or Duncan Robinson are unlikely to hold significant appeal to Phoenix.

While the Suns are said to have interest in Gobert, it remains to be seen whether the Timberwolves would be willing to put the four-time Defensive Player of the Year into their offer for Durant, The Athletic’s duo notes. The Wolves would likely be even more hesitant to put Gobert on the table if Durant remains opposed to the idea of becoming a Timberwolf.

Shams: KD Has ‘No Desire’ To Be Traded To Timberwolves

June 16th, 2025 at 5:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Appearing on SportsCenter (YouTube link), ESPN’s Shams Charania said Suns star Kevin Durant has no interest in joining the team that is rumored to be the most aggressive in pursuit of him.

“I’m told Durant has no desire to be in Minnesota with the Timberwolves,” Charania said. “So how does that shape how the Minnesota Timberwolves and other teams that could have interest, that are outside of his preferred list, decide how to move forward with these Durant discussions?”

In an NBA Today appearance that included Charania, Brian Windhorst and Marc J. Spears (YouTube link), Charania indicated the Suns have some interest in Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert. Windhorst anticipated that the Timberwolves’ trade offer for Durant could drop if they’re unsure about their ability to sign him to an extension. According to Spears, Durant had the Knicks at the top of his wish list but the Knicks weren’t interested in pursuing him, so the Rockets, Heat and Spurs became his fallback options.

The Suns obviously don’t need Durant’s permission to trade him to the Timberwolves, but mutual respect between Phoenix’s front office and the longtime All-Star could play a role in where he winds up. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link) speculates that Durant and his rep may need to strongly discourage a team such as Minnesota from trading for him in order for him to land at a preferred destination.

Windhorst also previously identified the Raptors and Clippers as teams that are “lurking” in the Durant trade saga.

As for the Spurs, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype names Jeremy Sochan, as well as Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson, as players who could be obtained on the trade market. Sochan, who averaged 11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists this season, is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason. Throwing a 22-year-old player into the mix could sweeten the offer for Durant from San Antonio’s perspective.

Windhorst: Timberwolves Most Aggressive In Pursuit Of Kevin Durant

June 16th, 2025 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves have been the team most aggressively pursuing Kevin Durant in trade talks so far, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this morning during an appearance on Get Up (Twitter video link). Windhorst notes that Minnesota made a strong push to acquire Durant from the Suns before the February trade deadline to team him with Anthony Edwards, and that effort has been renewed this offseason.

Windhorst identifies the Raptors and Clippers as teams that are “lurking” in the Durant trade saga, with Toronto offering the ninth pick in this year’s draft along with combinations of players in “multiple different scenarios.”

A list of Durant’s preferred destinations leaked over the weekend, with the Spurs, Rockets and Heat said to be the only teams he would considering signing an extension with. However, Windhorst hears that those three teams “have not made offers that have gotten Phoenix excited.” A report on Sunday indicated that the Suns are more focused on maximizing their return in a Durant trade than sending him someplace he wants to go.

Sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) that the Raptors are willing to give up either RJ Barrett or Immanuel Quickley to upgrade their roster, and several league figures have said they would consider including Jakob Poeltl as well if it means getting Durant in return. Phoenix is reportedly seeking a starting-level center for next season, and the Durant deal might be the best opportunity to acquire one.

Fischer reports that Toronto’s No. 9 selection is being viewed around the league as “perhaps the most likely top-10 pick in the draft to be traded.” He adds that the Raptors would prefer not to move out of the first round completely, so the Suns’ choice at No. 29 could be part of the deal.

Phoenix would love to get Ivica Zubac, Fischer adds, but the Clippers consider him off limits. However, he notes that L.A. has two future first-round picks and some swap rights that it could offer along with Norman Powell, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Derrick Jones.

Fischer doesn’t expect the Grizzlies to get involved in the Durant chase, even though they have a fresh collection of draft assets from Sunday’s Desmond Bane trade. He notes that Memphis was reluctant to pursue Jimmy Butler before the deadline because of fears that he wouldn’t sign an extension, and Durant is probably viewed the same way.

Addressing the Suns’ desire for a center, Fischer states that the team has done background work on Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis in case he’s made available. Fischer also hears that Phoenix would be interested in free agent Myles Turner if he doesn’t re-sign with the Pacers.

Latest On Kevin Durant

June 14th, 2025 at 5:13pm CST by Rory Maher

Although the Suns cannot aggregate salaries in trades, they have been exploring ways to move below the second tax apron to ease some of the restrictions they’re currently facing. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), as part of the Kevin Durant trade talks, Phoenix’s front office has larger constructs involving Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale in an effort to reduce the team’s payroll.

Dropping below the second apron is believed to be one of Phoenix’s “primary objectives” in a Durant deal, Fischer writes. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Suns are trying to cut costs for financial reasons, they just recognize how difficult it is to operate over that threshold in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, Fischer explains.

Sources tell Fischer that Phoenix hopes to acquire “starting-level talent” in exchange for Durant, with “quality draft capital” another desired part of the return package. Fischer hears the Suns have been evaluating first-round prospects “in the belief they will obtain at least one meaningful selection” in the 2025 draft.

While Shams Charania of ESPN reports that the Rockets are one of the teams most seriously engaged with the Suns for Durant, Fischer says Houston is “exceedingly reluctant” to meet Phoenix’s asking price. According to Fischer, the Suns view the Rockets as their ideal trade partner due to their combination of young talent and draft picks — Houston controls Phoenix’s first-rounders in 2025 (No. 10), 2027 and 2029.

Fischer adds that the Rockets’ front office recognizes this advantage and is “believed to be willing to go only so far” in its offer to Phoenix, indicating that the Suns might get more assets elsewhere.

League sources tell Fischer that the Timberwolves and Heat are the teams most frequently talked about as potential destinations for Durant. Fischer adds that the Spurs and Rockets have been cited by league executives as having interest in acquiring Durant, along with the Clippers and Raptors “to a lesser extent.”

Fischer also speculates that Durant would enjoy the idea of returning to Texas — where he played collegiately — either with San Antonio or Houston. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 previously stated that the Texas teams may be atop Durant’s wish list.

That could be an important consideration because Durant holds a $54.7MM expiring contract. Fischer says that front offices are considering whether it’s worth the gamble to trade for Durant with no assurances that he will re-sign after next season.

Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets that there have been discussions between Minnesota and Phoenix regarding Durant, but “nothing is close” right now. Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reported on Wednesday that the Heat are interested in dealing for Durant, but “only at the right price.”

Ian Begley of SNY.tv considers it a “long shot” that the Knicks will get involved (Twitter link), echoing other reports from this week. Begley also points out that finding a starting center is among the Suns’ offseason priorities, and trading Durant may be their best opportunity to make that happen.

Fischer considers Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert the best center likely to be available in a Durant deal, but states that it’s difficult to create a workable trade scenario between the Wolves and Suns, who are both operating above the second apron for now. He points out that Minnesota will fall below the second apron if Naz Reid and Julius Randle both decline their player options, and Reid seems almost certain to do so. Otherwise, a trade between the two clubs would likely have to be agreed upon this month but not become official until after the moratorium is lifted in July.

Miami may be more realistic, according to Fischer, who notes that the city was on Durant’s list when he first asked the Nets for a trade. Fischer suggests that Andrew Wiggins and Duncan Robinson are among the players the Heat can send to Phoenix to help match salaries, and they have three first-rounders that can be moved: No. 20 this year, along with their picks in 2030 and 2032.

Sources tell Fischer that Miami was unwilling to part with Kel’el Ware and Jaime Jaquez at the trade deadline, and he speculates that its willingness to include Ware could be a “true swing factor” in a Phoenix deal.

The Spurs and other teams have been reluctant to surrender significant draft capital for Durant, according to Fischer, who reports that the Suns have limited interest in the players San Antonio has offered so far. Fischer states that it’s believed the Spurs are keeping Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft off limits and are only offering players such as Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes.

Arthur Hill contributed to this report.