Before we dive into any Kevin Durant trade scenarios, it’s essential to emphasize that the Phoenix Suns have no intention of trading their star player this summer. In fact, it’s unlikely that any member of the Big 3, including Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, will be traded. The Suns are committed to their current roster and are focused on making adjustments on the margins to improve their chances of winning a championship.
Kevin Durant
That being said, as part of our weekly thought experiment, we’ll explore some hypothetical Kevin Durant trades to illustrate what other teams might offer and what’s possible under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). It’s crucial to note that these trades are not recommendations or suggestions, but rather an exercise to demonstrate the complexities of trading a superstar like Durant.
Disclaimers
- These trades are not what I think the Suns should or shouldn’t do, but rather an exercise to show what’s possible under the current CBA.
- Phoenix cannot combine salaries in any trade, nor can they take back additional money in any trade.
- In any hypothetical KD trade, the Suns would not be allowed to take back a single dollar more than his 2024-25 salary ($51,179,021).
- The trade targets included here are not based on sourced information.
- We’ve done similar exercises for all seven Suns players under contract, so if you’re reading this, you should be aware of the context.
Unrealistic Kevin Durant Trades
Before we explore potential trades, let’s rule out some unrealistic scenarios. For instance, the Boston Celtics, as a second tax apron team, couldn’t aggregate salaries to trade for Durant. Similarly, stars like Jimmy Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Kawhi Leonard wouldn’t work without looping in a third team, since all three of them play for teams projected to be in the tax apron.
Other teams, like the Indiana Pacers or Orlando Magic, might consider trading for Durant, but the cost would be too high. For example, a package of Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, Wendell Carter Jr., and Jonathan Isaac would work from a salary standpoint, but it would require Orlando to sacrifice too much young depth. Similarly, the Pacers would have to give up vital role players like Myles Turner, Aaron Nesmith, T.J. McConnell, and Bennedict Mathurin, which might not be enough to convince Phoenix to make a deal.
We’ll continue to explore more hypothetical trades, but it’s essential to remember that these scenarios are highly unlikely and are meant to illustrate the complexities of trading a superstar like Kevin Durant.
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