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Kevin Durant, Grizzlies Trade Report Surfaces on Monday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Josh Valdez | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 12:15 PM ET

The NBA Finals are still ongoing, but the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic are well into offseason mode after their blockbuster trade on Sunday. The Grizzlies dealt guard Desmond Bane to the Magic for four first-round picks, a first-round pick swap, guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and guard Cole Anthony.

Memphis could theoretically use those assets to make a push for Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant. The two-time NBA champion listed the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs as his preferred trade destinations, but that was before the Bane deal, per ESPN.

New intel on that subject surfaced on Monday, per The Stein Line's Jake Fischer.

“I wouldn't, however, expect the Grizzlies to suddenly thrust themselves into the Durant sweepstakes," he said. "The Stein Line, as of Friday evening, was directly told that Memphis wasn't pursuing Durant.”

If the Grizzlies change their mind, they could try to combine Durant with their stars Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. to form a "Big Three."

On the Desmond Bane blockbuster, how it impacts the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, and more out of Phoenix, others: https://t.co/UcbTolwJPi https://t.co/CVymZlr5tB
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) June 16, 2025

Durant will turn 37 in September and will make $54.7 million next season, the last of the max veteran extension that he signed with the Brooklyn Nets in 2022. However, the 2007 No. 2 overall draft pick was sixth in the NBA with 26.6 points per game on 52.7 percent shooting (43 percent 3 PT) across 62 contests this year.

Whatever team Durant gets traded to will be the fifth of his career, unless he returns to the Nets, Oklahoma City Thunder, or Golden State Warriors. The 6-foot-11-inch, 240-pounder averages 27.2 points on 50.2 percent shooting (39 percent 3 PT) since entering the league.

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

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