No one expected Daeqwon Plowden in the Durant deal, but here he comes to Phoenix.
UPDATE: Per Duane Rankin, Plowden will be waived by the Suns. They will incur no cap hit as a result.
The Kevin Durant trade to Houston is morphing into a blockbuster of bureaucratic proportions. What began as a simple two-team deal is now ballooning into a seven-team mega transaction, the kind that seems engineered less for basketball reasons and more to satisfy the legal gymnastics of the NBA’s front office.
At this point, it feels less like a trade and more like a case study in red tape, enough paperwork to make a lawyer abandon their briefcase and take up valet work at the Biltmore.
Once the dust settles, expected as early as today, Durant will officially be a Houston Rocket. In return, the Phoenix Suns will welcome Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and 10th overall pick Khaman Maluach.
But that might not be the end of the story.
With additional teams like Atlanta, Brooklyn, Golden State, the Lakers, and Minnesota now folded into the framework, Phoenix may be on the receiving end of one more, unexpected piece.
Enter Daeqwon Plowden.
Not a household name. Not part of the original reporting. But in trades this massive, sometimes the names buried in the fine print turn into stories of their own.
Fred Katz of The Athletic reports that Daeqwon Plowden will be headed to Phoenix as part of the sprawling, multi-team Kevin Durant trade.
League sources say the trade will send:
• Kevin Durant, Clint Capela to Houston
• Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Daeqwon Plowden to Phoenix
• David Roddy to AtlantaAll other elements of the deal are pick trades from draft night that are yet to be finalized. https://t.co/1FudHSljXn
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) July 6, 2025
So…who is he?
Daeqwon Plowden
- Height: 6’6”
- Weight: 215 lbs.
- Position: Wing
Plowden is a versatile wing who’s bounced around the NBA fringes over the past couple of seasons. He went undrafted out of Bowling Green, where he made his mark as a three-time All-MAC selection and a 2022 MAC All-Defensive honoree. He was a steady scorer, a committed defender, and the type of player you root for. not because he was handed anything, but because he kept finding ways to stick around.
Since then, he’s had stints with the Pelicans, Thunder, Magic, and Warriors organizations, and last year he signed a two-way deal with the Atlanta Hawks.
He made the most of his brief NBA opportunity, averaging 7.2 points over six games on eye-popping shooting splits: 64% from the field, 53% from three, and 100% from the line. That included making his first seven career field goal attempts in his debut back in January.
Now 27, Plowden joins a Suns team that’s clearly prioritizing youth, defense, and developmental upside on the margins of the roster. He’s expected to occupy one of the team’s two-way contract slots.
He’s not a splashy name. But he plays hard, defends his position, and doesn’t need the ball to make an impact. Every roster needs guys like that. So while this move won’t steal headlines, don’t be surprised if Plowden carves out a moment or two this year in Phoenix.
Welcome to the Valley, Daeqwon.
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