Once again it appears that Kevin Durant is on the move as the Phoenix Suns begin a new regime. He’ll be 37 years of age when the 2025-26 season begins, but should have a number of suitors in the summer.
According to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, the Suns have been working with Durant’s business partner Rich Kleiman to discuss trade scenarios. Per the report, the two sides are actively working towards a potential destination.
As of today, five teams have emerged as potential suitors that have expressed interest. Those teams are the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. Several other unnamed teams reached out over the past 7-10 days.
Charania reported that the Suns will continue to engage with Kleiman over the next few weeks and potentially “escalate” before the NBA Draft.
As for the reason the trade talks are rising, Charania explained that Durant’s contract makes him hard to retain, but also hard to move without his express approval.
“Durant is on a contract worth $54.7 million for the 2025-26 season, giving him some leverage in navigating his future in partnership with the Suns. As trade talks progress, his desire for a long-term extension could play a critical factor,” Charania wrote.
“Once he is traded, Durant will be eligible to sign a two-year contract extension on July 6 worth as much as $112 million. If he were to wait six months after the trade, he could sign a two-year extension worth up to $124 million.”
As far as the fits for the five listed teams go, there are pros and cons of all of them.
The Rockets saw significant improvement last year, increasing their win total by 11 over the previous year.
The Heat had their first losing season in over five years and could possibly get a boost from Durant.
The Timberwolves could use Durant’s veteran leadership to get over the hump and win the Finals.
The Knicks seem less interested in the distraction that a player of Durant’s profile would add, but it would certainly make the team more interesting.
The Spurs are about to enter a major transition from Gregg Popovich to Mitch Johnson, so anything can happen.
Related: Bill Simmons Told Mike Francesa To “Bet The House” On Kevin Durant Signing With The Knicks