Kevin Durant goes to be traded, and it might occur at any minute. The Phoenix Suns have been parsing by presents for the famous person scorer on the point of his thirty seventh birthday. Durant reportedly has a desire to go to the San Antonio Spurs, and he’s additionally occupied with becoming a member of the Miami Warmth or Houston Rockets. The Minnesota Timberwolves are one other group who has proven in Durant, however he reportedly doesn’t wish to go there.
The Suns have been underwhelmed by the presents they’re seeing for Durant, in accordance with studies. Houston’s supply is constructed round Jalen Inexperienced and the No. 10 choose, however Phoenix needs no less than yet another younger participant (Jabari Smith Jr, Reed Sheppard, or Tari Eason) along with getting one in every of its future picks again (2027 or 2029) that the Rockets personal. Phoenix reportedly requested the Spurs for both the No. 2 choose within the 2025 NBA Draft or Stephon Fortress, and had been instantly rebuffed. San Antonio’s supply is believed to be constructed across the No. 14 choose and both Devin Vassell or Jeremy Sochan. Miami’s supply begins with Andrew Wiggins and the No. 20 choose, with haggling anticipated over the inclusion of Kel’el Ware.
All of those presents are far, far lower than what the Suns gave as much as land Durant a number of years in the past, a package deal which included Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, 4 first-round picks, and two swaps. Durant continues to be excellent, however he’s now one of many oldest gamers within the league as he enters 12 months No. 19 of his profession. The truth that Durant needs a two-year, $120 million extension at his new dwelling can even give groups pause.
The Suns are reportedly resolved to take the most effective commerce supply for the group no matter what Durant needs. If long-time Phoenix sports activities insider John Gambadoro is correct, the Timberwolves have by far the strongest supply on the board. Right here’s what Gambadoro mentioned on native radio on Tuesday:
Right here’s the supply:
Timberwolves get: Kevin Durant
Suns get: Rudy Gobert, Donte DiVincenzo, No. 17 choose, both Rob Dillingham or Terrence Shannon Jr.
The Suns ought to rush to the telephone instantly to simply accept this supply if it’s really on the desk. It’s a deal that would instantly replenish Phoenix with the belongings it desperately wants. It additionally appears like an enormous overpay for Minnesota.
The Wolves had been briefly a laughingstock for his or her unique Rudy Gobert commerce with the Utah Jazz, but it surely’s proved to be a masterstroke in recent times. With Gobert, the Wolves have gone to the convention finals in back-to-back seasons. Don’t overlook, Minnesota just lately had a 14-year playoff drought within the Western Convention. They’ve discovered succcess with a mixture of Anthony Edwards’ offensive brilliance and a lockdown protection helmed by Gobert’s rim safety.
I don’t see how buying and selling Gobert for Durant straight-up makes the Wolves higher, not to mention once they add in DiVincenzo, Dillingham or Shannon Jr., and a draft choose within the teenagers. Who’s defending the rim for Minnesota in that situation? Naz Reid, a pending free agent, is way more of an offensive participant than a defensive participant. There isn’t one other playable massive man on the roster. It’s potential the Wolves might fill that gap with a free agent like Clint Capela or Brook Lopez, however that’s nonetheless probably an enormous step again from Gobert.
Buying and selling this a lot depth can also be scary, even when the Suns discover a strategy to embody Royce O’Neale within the deal. Depth has change into extra vital than ever within the NBA Playoffs, and buying and selling in probably 4 rotation spots for a 37-year-old is a large gamble, and never a wise one.
In the meanwhile, together with Gobert is the one means the Wolves could make a Durant commerce work. If Julius Randle decides to choose up his $31 million participant choice, although, immediately this deal turns into much more possible.
Substitute Randle with Durant within the Wolves lineup and Minnesota lastly has correct spacing and extra three-point taking pictures. Randle’s bully ball drives could be missed, however Durant’s mid-range sport and additional size defensively makes up for it. Even when the Wolves can embody Randle over Gobert, they need to hesitate to incorporate each the No. 17 choose and Dillingham/Shannon. The Wolves want depth if they’ve any hope of assembly the Thunder’s commonplace. The query is that if that’s sufficient to get Phoenix to chew.
Durant offers have blown up within the face of the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns at his final two stops. Perhaps Brooklyn would have received the championship with KD in 2021 if his toe wasn’t on the road in Sport 7 in opposition to the Bucks, and we’d keep in mind the tip of his profession in a different way. It simply looks like KD is sad wherever he goes regardless of his love for hooping. If the Wolves put a max extension on the desk, possibly he would change his thoughts a la Jimmy Butler going to the Warriors at this previous commerce deadline.
If a group trades for Kevin Durant, they should imagine they’ve sufficient to win the championship instantly. To try this, they higher not commerce an excessive amount of.
