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26-Year-Old Guard Abruptly Cut Days After Being Included in Kevin Durant Trade

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sahil Goswami | Last updated Jul 9, 2025 12:49 PM ET

NBA free agency is in full swing, and it’s already delivering wild twists. From stars like Bradley Beal weighing their options to massive roster overhauls, this offseason has been anything but quiet. One of the biggest developments is the seven-team trade that reshaped the league, all kicked off by Kevin Durant’s move from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets.

The Atlanta Hawks have been busy as well, using the chaos to restructure their cap space. They sent Clint Capela to the Rockets in a sign-and-trade and included guard Daeqwon Plowden in the same multi-team shuffle. Plowden, who had split time between the G League and short NBA stints, was sent to the Phoenix Suns but his time there didn’t last long.

Just days after arriving in Phoenix, Plowden was waived from his two-way contract, per RealGM. The 26-year-old made his NBA debut earlier this year with the Hawks, averaging 7.2 points in 12 minutes over six games. Now, he becomes an unrestricted free agent once again.

The Suns waived Daeqwon Plowden, who was acquired in the seven-team Kevin Durant trade from the Hawks.

Plowden is now free to sign another two-way contract elsewhere after averaging 15.4 points for Atlanta’s G League affiliate. pic.twitter.com/UMApXlQOBw
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) July 8, 2025

Plowden’s link to the Kevin Durant deal made his trade surprising, but his release even more so. As part of the biggest trade in NBA history, he was included alongside players like Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green. The Suns acquired them in a clear attempt to rebuild their roster after a rough 36–46 season.

Deleted my previous tweet, this is a more accurate interpretation.

The Rockets could acquire Kevin Durant, and either Dorian Finney-Smith or Clint Capela via sign and trade, for Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks.

Houston's outgoing salary matching requirements would be satisfied. https://t.co/i9qcsjXp8N
— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) July 3, 2025

While Plowden is out, the Suns appear to be fully focused on youth. “The Suns are committed to reshaping the roster around Jalen Green and Devin Booker,” reported CBS Sports. Plowden’s exit opens up a two-way slot, giving Phoenix flexibility to bring in someone who fits their new vision.

With strong G League numbers behind him, Plowden will now look for another shot either in the NBA or overseas.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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