All Eyes On Kevin Durant, But Suns Keeping Door Half Shut

So far, it seems, the trade talks surrounding Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant seem to be generating a whole lot of nothing. Beyond, of course, the usual dose of social media buzz.

But this is what makes the offseason tick, and if there’s one thing we’ve learned, we can always count on Durant wanting to switch teams.

Anyway, per ESPN’s Shams Charania, round and round it goes, and where’s it headed, nobody knows.

“The Suns know if they’re going to trade Kevin Durant, they clearly have a price threshold they want met,” Charania said on The Pat McAfee Show. “I had one team tell me today that it’s kind of a game of chicken at this point. From the Rockets, to the Heat, to the Minnesota Timberwolves, it’s literally one or two pieces away (from getting a deal done).

“But at the end of the day, one of these teams has to meet that threshold to get something done. The NBA draft is about a week away. So could this go into the NBA draft? For sure. But I don’t think the Suns want it to, I don’t think the other teams want it to. … My understanding is they’re in active conversations with those three teams, specifically, on trying to get a deal done for Kevin Durant. … I would also not be surprised if this (involves three or four teams).”

Durant will be 37 years old at the start of next season. That is undoubtedly something rival teams are considering when it comes to these talks. Basically, how long will Durant continue to play at an impactful level? He sure did so last season, with one rival scout telling Hoops Wire that Durant is a “good guy” and “great teammate.” He also remains a fantastic scorer.

Anyway, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald confirmed reports that the Heat are currently unwilling to meet the Suns’ asking Price for Durant. That, of course, could change.

Charania added that the Suns are more than willing to trade Durant to a team that’s not on his so-called “wish list.” And Sam Amick of The Athletic said at the top of that list sits the San Antonio Spurs. Durant also has some leverage, given that he can enter free agency in 2026, courtesy of a $54.7 million expiring contract.

“(The Suns) clearly don’t like what they’re hearing from San Antonio, Houston and Miami,” Amick said during an appearance on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back. “And I keep making the distinction, those three teams are not created equal on the list. Kevin has made it clear in different conversations — at times, anyway — that he was really focused on the Spurs. They’re not showing a ton of incentive to get a deal done. It’s one of those things where, if you want to give him to us on our terms, where we don’t really give up a lot, then that would be great.

“Phase two, to me, of these talks is that the Suns clearly like what they could get out of Minnesota. But the Wolves are not gonna play that game at all unless they are confident that Kevin wants to come. And you can tell that Phoenix is kind of trying to nudge him in that direction and compel him to add a fourth team to his list.

“So that, to me, is the interesting dynamic: Does he change his stance on Minnesota? If not, when do (the Suns) come off of that and maybe look harder at Miami or one of these other situations. So I still feel like we’re a little ways away.”