Despite the Golden State Warriors‘ run from 11th to sixth in the Western Conference with Jimmy Butler, the rumors of a blockbuster swap in the offseason for Kevin Durant have not died down.
The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin reported on Monday, March 10, of such a potential deal that the Phoenix Suns would pursue if they part ways with Durant, which is increasingly likely heading there barring a miraculous postseason run.
“Considering they had such a high interest in Butler — and the Warriors still having enough of a love for Durant to pursue him — a league source floated an idea to The Republic having the Suns trade Durant for Butler in the summer,” Rankin wrote.
For the Warriors’ part, it will all depend on how their season, reinvigorated by Butler’s arrival, will end.
But so far, the Butler trade has been working so well for them. They are 12-1 with Butler, including their current five-game winning streak.
Jimmy Butler Finds His Joy Back in Golden State
Butler initially wanted to go to Phoenix because its owner Mat Ishbia was willing to pay him. But the Warriors did exactly that upon his arrival in Golden State, awarding him a $112 million two-year extension that will run through the 2026-27 season after declining a player option for next season.
With his financial future secured, Butler found his joy back, which he said was lost in Miami after the Heat did not offer him an extension and drastically reduced his role in their offense that ultimately led to his trade demand.
With his joy back, Butler is giving his maximum effort to the Warriors.
During their latest win — a 130-120 drubbing of the Portland Trail Blazers — on Monday night, Butler notched his first triple-double in Warriors uniform and became one of the fastest players to do so in franchise history. Butler became the quickest Warrior to produce a triple-double since the franchise legend Rick Barry (nine games) in 1972, per StatMamba.
Butler finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists with three steals against only one turnover.
“You can’t get a triple-double without your teammates. That’s for damn sure,” Butler told reporters. “Whether they miss the shot and you get the rebound, or they make the shot whenever you pass it to them. [Triple-double] is just a word.
“I’m just happy that we won — triple-double or not. I take these wins as they come.”
His teammates, coaches all praised him for his big presence in the locker room and being a connector on the floor.
“They’re allowing me to be me,” Butler continued. “They love me here. So I’m happy to be here.”
Suns’ Price Tag for Kevin Durant
It’s all sunshine in Golden State. Just like his early days in Miami when Butler led them to two NBA Finals appearances and three conference finals.
The Suns could only hope the Warriors’ season ends in a disappointment to have a shot at finally getting Butler, whom they pursued for several weeks leading up to the trade deadline.
If Butler will not be available, the Suns would be looking to recoup some of the draft capital they doled out in acquiring Durant, according to Rankin.
“Sources informed The Republic the most ideal return on a Durant trade is regaining three first-round picks and a young player as part of a multi-team deal tied to getting under the second apron,” Rankin wrote.
The Suns gave up four first-round picks and a pick swap on top of Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges for Durant at the trade deadline in 2023. Most of those picks are now with the Houston Rockets, who are in great position to trade for Durant should they want to in the offseason.
The Warriors will have three first-round picks and Jonathan Kuminga, a restricted free agent after this season, if they pursue a Big Three of Stephen Curry-Butler-Durant, that will certainly put them in second apron with little to no flexibility to surround them with a deep supporting cast.
Kevin Durant ‘Upset’ With Suns Trade Talks With Warriors
Despite Durant’s posturing that he understood the trade talks between the Suns and his former team, which he thumbed down, as part of the business, it did not sit well with him, according to Rankin.
“Sources informed The Arizona Republic that Durant’s camp was upset Phoenix put him in trade talks before the 2025 deadline last month as he rejected a move back to Golden State where he won back-to-back NBA titles and finals MVPs,” Rankin wrote.
The Warriors were the most aggressive team in pursuing Durant at the trade deadline. They already had a complex multi-team trade framework in place that would have seen Butler go to Phoenix and Durant back to Golden State. But a reunion did not interest Durant at the time.
However, he left the door open for one more final run with his Green and Curry.
“We just play the season out and if that’s the decision you want to make in the offseason then [we] figure it out,” Durant said on the “Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis” that dropped on Feb. 26. . “It’s just such a big change to make and I’ve been through it before I was like damn that’s not really it.”
Durant holds the leverage as he will enter the final season of his original four-year, $194 million contract he signed with the Brooklyn Nets before his trade to Phoenix.
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