Kevin Durant is likely playing his last year as a Phoenix Sun, but teams looking to trade for the superstar are hesitant to do so without commitment.
According to ESPN’s NBA Insider Bobby Marks, teams looking to make a move for the 37-year-old superstar are unlikely to make the move for a one-year rental for Durant, according to an interview with Arizona Sports:
âA lot of it heâll dictate as far as what you can get in value based on him willing to extend with that team. He can extend for I think two years, $120 million dollars. If thereâs a team out there willing to throw ⦠a lot at Phoenix and heâs not willing to extend, thatâs probably not going to be a deal that will happen.â
A Durant trade has been a hot topic in the NBA, as he was in several discussions leading into the 2025 trade deadline. Even a potential three-team trade centered around forward Jimmy Butler to Phoenix and Durant to Golden State was on the table, but Durant wasn’t interested in a return at the time.
Durant’s time in Phoenix has been tumultuous. Despite teaming up with All-Stars Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, injuries, a revolving door on coaching, and lack of cap management has seen the team spiral, with many in the organization noting the tension inside the team. The team, who at one point had title aspirations, have massively underperformed, currently sitting 2.5 games outside of the Play-In tournament with a 29-33 record.
Make no mistake, Durant is still one of the best players in the league. In 49 games so far, he’s averaging 26.9 points on 52.7% from the field and 39.8% from three-point, and recently became the eights player to score 30,000 career points. His skillset is among the most valuable in the NBA, even at his age, and he can play in the flow of any offense. With one year left on his deal, he’s in a place where he can be moved and can pick his next team.
Though the $120 million extension he wants sounds lofty, any team that needs an extra scoring punch should be willing to pay the price tag if it means a championship. Phoenix will likely look for both players and draft compensation in return to help continue to contend around Booker, which limits any moves they can make.
Kevin Durant is playing his last season as a Phoenix Sun, but his exit from the team could get tricky.
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