Analyst: Suns Must Trade Kevin Durant

The Phoenix Suns face quite the dilemma with superstar forward Kevin Durant this summer.

Durant - with one year left on his contract - was shopped by the Suns at the prior NBA trade deadline, and by all accounts from insiders/people in the know, his fate is still believed to be outside of Phoenix.

Bleacher Report says the Suns must trade Durant:

"Attempts by the Phoenix Suns to hold under-the-radar Kevin Durant trade talks leading into last February’s deadline eventually went public, and now the two sides are expected to work on finding a new home for the two-time Finals MVP over the offseason," wrote Dan Favale.

"Who could have seen this coming, except for absolutely everyone?

"Jake Fischer of The Stein Line recently reported that Phoenix hasn’t ruled out keeping KD. Good luck to new general manager Brian Gregory with that. There is no going back once trade talks or demands go public. Durant also turns 37 in September and is entering the final year of his contract, making him both far from a sure-fire investment and potential flight risk.

"This Suns era, whatever you want to call it, is an abject failure. There is no path to title contention for them next season, and KD belongs on a team that has one. The Suns only stand to exacerbate their already-bleak future by holding onto him and subjecting themselves to the risk of losing him for nothing next summer—or even just being forced into moving him at the 2026 trade deadline, when the midseason bidding for the expiring contract of an aging star won’t be nearly as robust."

Recently, it was revealed the Minnesota Timberwolves were very interested in Durant at the deadline and could show interest in him again this summer.

Other interested teams include the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs.