Kevin Durant to be traded this offseason by Suns per Brian Windhorst

That's not entirely accurate.

 

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/44237621/next-kevin-durant-devin-booker-phoenix-suns

Barring a drastic late-season turnaround for the Suns, there is anticipation around the league that Phoenix will entertain trade offers for Durant again this summer.

"I'll just say that we're going to evaluate in the offseason," Ishbia said. "We're going to find a way to win, and it's probably a lot easier winning with Kevin Durant than without him. But at the same time, yes, if we're not good enough in this iteration of the Phoenix Suns, we're going to find a way to be better next year. "

DURANT WAS CAUGHT off guard when he was the subject of trade talks in the days leading up to this season's deadline, including a proposed deal with the Golden State Warriors that died after Durant made it clear he wasn't in favor of a midseason reunion with his former team.

The Suns had also discussed frameworks of potential Durant trades with the Timberwolves, Miami Heat and Rockets, according to league sources, some of whom also mentioned the New York Knicks as a potential fit. Rockets sources told ESPN their discussions with Phoenix were initiated by the Suns.

"When you're not winning and you're not winning the way you want, you've got to look at everything," a Suns source told ESPN. "For us with him, it was, how do we make sure that we're optimizing Devin and building to make you successful now but also in the future. And Kevin's had an amazing year. He's had an amazing stretch here. He's playing really, really good basketball, but there's always been conversation with everyone on our team minus Devin Booker.

"As we talked about it, then teams call us because they're interested because it's Kevin Durant, we're not in a position not to look at everything. We have to be creative."

League sources said that Durant and Rich Kleiman, the 15-time All-Star's agent and business partner, would be consulted on any trade discussions involving him this summer. Durant has one season remaining on his contract and would be eligible to sign a two-year, $122 million extension with a team that acquires him, providing him significant power to influence a potential trade destination.

"I want my career to end on my terms -- that's the only thing," Durant said on "The Draymond Green Show" in the aftermath of the trade deadline. "That's the only thing I'm worried about. 'Cause I see a lot of dudes that don't get that opportunity, so I want to keep putting in that work to make that choice on my own."

Durant declined further comment on the situation when approached by ESPN, saying it is "already noisy as hell" and he didn't want to add to that. His professionalism, focus and competitiveness in the wake of the trade deadline have been noted and appreciated throughout the Suns franchise.

 

What about FVV, Cam, and release the swap this year if it lands around 10 - 13 in the draft? Can we do that? Then resign Adams if possible and pick up Holliday's option. The Suns gets a useful expiring, a young prospects, and the ability to pick up a solid rookie this year.

Amen / Green / Brooks / Durant / Sengun
Sheppard or Holliday / Tari / Bari / Adams

That's a helluva team.

 

Bringing in KD is a win-now move, losing FVV tanks our point guard play and gets rid of the only other guy with a ring and the only other starter with significant playoff experience. I do see Amen as our point guard of the future, but I'm not convinced he's ready to play point guard for a championship contender next season. He still has some work to do on his halfcourt play.

I think the only deal that makes any sense would be Brooks-Sheppard-Landale-Holiday. That gets you there on the salary I believe, and KD (if he's healthy and doesn't fall off a cliff) is probably an upgrade over Brooks.

I still don't see that team as a high-tier championship contender next season. Maybe a really fringey one. Whether I'd do that trade would depend on what draft capital we included--I wouldn't give up much in the way of trade assets for such a marginal upgrade to our championship odds on a player who is about to retire.

If we somehow make the WCF or something that may shift things a little. Doubt that happens though

 

Love this, but doubt they'd take it. I wouldn't give up anymore.

 

While I think Durant to the Rockets would be a long shot, if it did happen, I expect the Rockets would want crappy FRPs picks back from Phoenix for every pick sent to Phoenix. This way, the Rockets' ability to make trades in the future isn't hampered by the Stepien rule.

 

I’m not worried about a PG in this situation. We’ll have plenty of ability to set up the offense through Durant, Green, Amen, and Sengun.

 

What do you mean by "release the swap"?

I doubt the Rockets trade FVV while acquiring a win-now player that isn't a PG. However, if Phoenix wanted the 2025 pick, I assume the Rockets would have a deal setup with Phoenix such that the Suns would tell the Rockets who to draft and the Rockets would send their rights to said player to the Suns when the trade is executed.

 

Durant is not Booker. I think we've seen enough that Green, Amen, and Sengun aren't ready, and it would be foolish to make a win-now move without someone that is known as an NBA-ready PG. If Rockets get Booker, sure FVV can be in the deal. If it is Durant, Green or Brooks need to be the big outgoing salary.

 

Phoenix did trade their next 2030s pick to get 3 crappy picks….

Can’t remember if they used one already.

 

I think they are going to end up with more than that. I also think Durant is going to insist on an extension guarantee with any team which will probably take us out of the hunt. I thought he would have been a great addition at the deadline, but I’m out now. If you are willing to find a way to pay Durant 60m a year on his extension, you’d be better off over paying for a Naz Reid at 30-35m or some other good shooting SF/PF that is younger. Maybe you could facilitate Durant to his preferred destination (out East).

 

They've used one, but all their picks are crappy (e.g., the least favorable of picks from 4 or 5 teams with at least 2 of those teams likely very good).

 

Sorry, I meant through Durant, Amen, Sengun, and Green, not Booker.

FVV's veteran's presence has been incredibly important for this team. I think his value as a "PG" has been overstated. Half the time, someone else initiates the offense, and he acts as an off-ball spacer. Durant would simply replace FVV's veteran's presence, and he'd be a massive upgrade talent wise.

 

gross giving up assets for old KD and giving him potentially a 2 year/122M deal?

 

FVV is still the primary on ball guy. I will say having teams have to adjust to a more diversified attack looked really great in January. FVV is at least half as good as Durant currently is, such that trading FVV for Durant should be treated with the same enthusiasm you would have for trading expirings for FVV or re-signing FVV to an extension.

Losing 5 wins to add 10 wins is only a 5 win add. Not losing 5 wins and adding 10 wins is adding 10 wins. That isn't a perfect analogy, but when it comes to win now moves, I want to deal as little win-now pieces as possible prioritizing those pieces that aren't at positions that the Rockets need.

 

I gotta say, I really don't understand your logic. Durant is twice as good as FVV, so I should treat landing Durant the same enthusiasm as extending FVV? Sorry, I don't agree with that at all. We're already a very, very good team without Durant. Replace FVV with Durant, and I think we have an outside shot at contention.

 

I think Durant would signal that the FO believes in a lot of the core players, mainly believes Amen and Sengun can be built around and we have a playoff floor now.

Frankly, the contract scares me far less when Sengun and Amen will still be on their rookie extensions and whoever out of Eason/Jabari.

His age is a concern because he can drop off abruptly.... but he is still a top offensive player in the league at his age.

 

I agree replacing FVV with a healthy Durant would make us contenders. The losses we incurred while FVV was out inflated his value with many of the fans on this site. The problem is what you will have to give up to get Durant outside of FVV and that Durant will insist on the 2 year extension, not to mention probably 2 of the Phoenix picks. We should go hard at Naz Reid for 30M + if necessary, move Jabari to small forward and re-sign FVV to a 25M extension to be the best backup PG in the league. Amen will take another step toward superstardom next year and a frontcourt of Jabari/Tari, Sengun, and Reid would make us true contenders 5 years into a re-build.

 

Durant has one year left. He wants an extension, but he probably isn't going to still be good much longer. FVV re-signing would add more years and he's a much better bet for 2-3 more years.

Why are you so opposed to FVV? FVV and Durant is better than Durant and either Green or Brooks.

 

I don't particularly want to trade for KD at all, he's too old and I don't believe we will actually win a title with him before he retires. Just seems like a waste of assets and minutes that could go to younger players as far as I'm concerned. But let's assume for a second we are planning to trade for him, just for the sake of argument.

We cannot easily replace what FVV does, as demonstrated by our record without him declining so much. KD can't run an offense. Amen isn't ready. Reed damn sure isn't ready. Aaron Holiday is a tunnelvision undersized shooting guard, not a point guard.

Point guard is easily our thinnest position, it's not even close. If you assume we're doing this (I hope we don't), it makes much more sense to trade Dillon Brooks than FVV. Brooks' minutes are replaceable by several in-house options. He's been great for us, but he's mostly been a 3nD guy, and we have three other good-to-great defenders who can play small forward, and Tari and Jabari can shoot, and of course KD is also a forward.

Unless Reed Sheppard has the biggest transformation year 1 to 2 ever, or Amen's jump shot and halfcourt point guard skills get massively better in one offseason--and on a team that's trading assets away to improve its championship odds, I wouldn't bank on that--we still need FVV, especially if we're trying to contend for anything next season.