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

Exactly, the report was Ishbia wants a young star, 3 1sts, a back rub, a cherry sundae, and world peace...people in hell want ice water. I know he is not used to it but he can learn to eat **** like everyone else. If Durant thinks we can package Harden with our team he is going to want to swing for the fences again. That will dictate the trade. Harden and Durant want final homes where they can win. Life is about identifying and framing opportunities and seizing on them.

 

Which is why I thinking they may need to JOHN WALL him
He is not part of the future
He doesn't have any great value imo
Esp with him getting injured

Does he mentor well?
Is he a good Locker room guy
Is that worth keeping his salary on the books

If they cut him this year. . . he only counts against this year right?
The Suns new owner is a Money is No Object type fo guy

Rocket River

 

I probably went overboard. My main concern is that the Phoenix swaps are going to lose their value when Durant is traded. I’m thinking they are going to get some good players in return to build around Booker. If Durant turns into 2-3 really good role players for the Suns, those swaps will never amount to anything. We need to start thinking about building around Amen and Sengun and stop waiting for a superstar to magically become available and wanting to come to the Rockets. Herro would be a great role player for us, but, yes, two Phoenix swaps is too much. We should be willing to spend our Phoenix picks to bring in good 3&D players. We already have a good starting lineup with Amen, Jalen, Dillon, Jabari/Tari, and Sengun. We need guys that can shoot and spread the floor and also play defense. Age also needs to be considered. Naz Reid is probably a pipe dream, but he is the archetype for what I think this team needs. If we added a PF/C that can shoot and play defense and a 3&D wing using the picks if necessary we would be contenders.

 

“It’s no secret that Phoenix will split with Kevin Durant this summer. Durant has one year left on his contract and even approaching 37 still has incredibly high value. I think—and this is just my opinion—that Durant wants to wind up in Houston. I think if the Rockets wanted Durant before the trade deadline, it would have happened. Durant has a lot of respect for Ime Udoka and in Houston he could be a missing piece to a title contender. I’d keep an eye on that after this season.”

 

Obviously, drama aged Ime 9 years in four.
It happens.

 

Lol feels like the entire NBA community came out to kill his Booker story and now he's pivoting.

I could be wrong, but it feels like he's just making things up. I'm not against acquiring Durant theoretically but...

Durant is 37, he has 1 year left on his contract and probably wants a long extension. I don't think he's as big a marketing draw like Lebron to still be worth all that.

I wonder which contender would be willing to offer him a 3 year max extension. My guess is no one.

 

Sounds like something put out there by the Suns more than something legit

 

No team will offer KD a 3-year max extension when he's 38 years-old and he knows that.

 

I don't know if he's that self-aware, but reality will really cement itself for him this off-season.

Whoever acquires him will have to offer him an extension of some kind. If not he's just an expiring contract already shopping for a new employer.

Also something I've learned in the NBA - just because something is illogical doesn't mean there's not an idiot out there who'll do it. That applies to life too.

 

I hope they consider “incredibly high value” to be some mixture of either a (opted in) Fred, Jalen or Dillon, with the addition of a Jock Landale, a Cam Whitmore and a single protected 1st.

 

I'm thinking he gets a 1+1 team option to add onto his current deal. He is going to be an over-38 player so 3 year extension just makes no damn sense. After next year he is going to be year to year guy and he knows it.

 

While acquisition cost is the obvious elephant in the room, I must say that Durant would be incredible on this squad. This team is missing two pieces, imo.

One is another true big (5) that is competent offensively and defensively. Not a star necessarily, but a difference maker in the rotation. Ironically, someone like a Capela or Hartenstein, whom we have already cycled thorough.

Second is a true reliable closer... someone whom can get buckets against set defenses especially late in games or when the offense is sputtering. Durant even at 37, fits the bill.

I'd give up a Cam and/or Reed to get that. I would not give them back all of their picks, however. One maybe but that's it.

 

If Durant wants to go to Houston that should help us keep the price down. We won’t be competing against the market. A good young prospect and a pick sounds about right to me…although I’m sure the Suns will hold out for more.

 

And I'd calmly and gladly pass. That closer may be on the roster already.

 

I'll take him if it's cheap enough

 

Durant is perhaps the best possible fit among any star. He is almost egoless on the court (his insecurity off the court is a different matter) - he will drift as a decoy, set up plays, finish plays, or just shoot passively depending on the need. And he’s incredibly good at each of those roles. He is the offensive version of Amen’s defense - a Swiss Army knife who can fill any role you need.

And his age fits fine as a 2-3 year bridge to the youngsters truly taking over without stunting their development by dominating the ball, while our depth would let him coast a bit in the regular season (we see already we can have a great record without him). His defense is passable when he wants, and he would destroy on both ends as the SF in the double big lineup.

The price has to be right. 3-4 “good-not-great” assets would be my limit, excluding any of JG/AS/JS/TE/AT and with top-4 protection on any pick. I actually don’t want to save a massive stockpile for a different superstar as I think our team will either develop that on its own or other great players will want to come here and we won’t have to pay as much. Meanwhile we would still have multiple premium assets (Mavs swap, 1-2 of the Suns picks, our top 5j core) to refresh the pipeline.

This season has been amazing. My hope now is we see a scrappy team in the playoffs who eventually loses due to lack of firepower in the 4th, we get Durant in the summer, and we head to next year as a likely top seed with a new flexible, proven closer.

 

Doubt we'd give up Amen. One of her other son's friends or her son himself though might be a different story.

 

Reed and Cam are the least developed right now as far as trades for KD, but I wouldn't trade them either.

Kevin is turning 37, making 50 million with serious injuries in his past. You have to give to get and he wouldn't be worth the price.

His age doesn't fit, neither does his salary. Phoenix is struggling to make the play In with KD, Beale and Booker. We've clinched the play In.

We're the second seed in the tough West with a 22 year old core. Instead of using him to bridge a transition, use the vets we have with much better contracts, younger age and successful play.