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Kevin Durant hints at a potential Warriors reunion
With the Phoenix Suns struggling through a turbulent season, currently sitting 11th in the Western Conference at 27-31, speculation about an offseason roster overhaul is mounting. Kevin Durant, in particular, was at the center of persistent trade rumors as the February deadline approached, with many believing a move was imminent.
However, no deal materialized. Since then, Durant has spoken openly about the situation, revealing that his former team, the Golden State Warriors, explored the possibility of bringing him back—but he ultimately dismissed the idea of a midseason trade.
"I want my career to end on my terms," Durant said on the Draymond Green Show. "As far as the Warriors, I didn't want to move. Then, as a player like me, I cost a lot. Me going into your team in the middle of the season, it's going to be a big blow to any team I'm going to.
“I get why you want to trade me, simple fact that's business but for me looking at it, it just don't make sense for either side right now to go through that when we can play the season out and if that's the decision you want to make in the offseason, then we figure it out.”
Durant’s comments suggest that a reunion with the Warriors could still be on the table in the future. Financially, such a move would be challenging, considering what the Suns gave up to acquire him—Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four unprotected first-round picks and a pick swap—in the 2022-23 season.
With Durant off the market, Golden State pivoted to Jimmy Butler, parting ways with Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Dennis Schroder and a protected first-round pick. The trade has rejuvenated both Butler and the Warriors, who have gone 6-1 since his arrival and are climbing back into the playoff race.
Durant has one year remaining on his contract after this season, worth $54.7 million, before hitting unrestricted free agency in 2026. While Phoenix may look to trade him before then, the 15-time All-Star may have his sights set on a Warriors reunion—one final run with Steph Curry and Draymond Green.
More must-reads:
- Kevin Durant doesn't have future with Suns, and both sides know it
- Kevin Durant speaks out on his status for 2028 Olympics
- The '30-point game leaders of the NBA Three-Point Era' quiz
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Five numbers to know after Raptors get fifth straight win
The Toronto Raptors are winners of five straight after they beat the Philadelphia 76ers 121-112 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in the City of Brotherly Love. The Raptors are now winners of nine of their last 10 and the numbers have certainly been in their favor. Here are five numbers from the box score that stand out the most: 5 - Raptors' winning streak The Raptors have won five games in a row and are holding one of the longest win streaks in the league. Only the Oklahoma City Thunder (6) and Detroit Pistons (11) are on longer win streaks at the moment. The Raptors have a great chance to increase their win streak with games coming up against the Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets, who are a combined 3-24 for the season. That will be part of their four-game homestand, which will also see visits from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers, both of whom are earlier victims of the win streak. 6 - Scottie Barnes' turnovers As a team, the Raptors only had 14 turnovers, but six came from Barnes. Considering he has only had five turnovers over the last three games, it was a bad night for him when it came to taking care of the basketball. The six turnovers also marks a season-high in a game for Barnes, so it's safe to say he will focus on keeping that ball in Toronto's possession in the Raptors' next game. 11 - Ja'Kobe Walter's points Ja'Kobe Walter has been struggling in his second season out of Baylor, but he scored well against the Sixers, dropping 11 points on 4 of 5 shooting (3 of 4 from beyond the 3-point line). 44 - Raptors' third quarter points The Raptors erupted in the third quarter for 44 points, which was a major reason behind the team's win. The Raptors entered the second half trailing by three points, but had a 15-point lead just 12 minutes later. The team appears to be responding to head coach Darko Rajakovic's in-game adjustments and that should have the Raptors in a great spot to come back in games this season. 56 - Raptors' points in the paint The Raptors lived in the paint without Joel Embiid on the other side for the Sixers. Their success down low fueled the offence and the team should continue attacking that area more often. Read More Toronto Raptors On SI Stories
Texas HC Steve Sarkisian gives bold claim on job rumors
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian has been a popular name in both the NFL and college football coaching cycles. It makes sense, too. He's brought Texas back to being competitive and in the championship hunt, but he also has a wealth of great experience as an assistant in both college and the NFL. He's about as well-rounded a candidate as you'll find, so of course, programs like the Florida Gators, LSU Tigers or even the New York Giants may be interested to see if he's interested. The thing is, though, he's not. Or, at the very least, that's what he's telling the media. He's all-in with the Longhorns, according to comments he made on a recent SEC teleconference call. “I’d like to comment something before I get into our team that has been bothering me now over the past few weeks. That is people reporting that are insinuating that there’s a possibility I could leave the University of Texas, and that is absolutely false and untrue," Sarkisian said (h/t On3). "I’m not going anywhere. Never do I do this because I never want to be a distraction, so I never address these things. At this point, I feel like this is important that I do this because it’s important for our team. It’s important for our university." Steve Sarkisian has deep roots in Austin and is all-in with Texas As if that weren't clear enough, Sarkisian said that he has not had any discussions with anybody about coaching elsewhere. He even went as far as to say that even his agent hasn't spoken to anyone. Sometimes coaches can say publicly that they aren't talking about any opportunities while, in the meantime, their agents are working backchannels and putting something together. He could be lying, of course, because college football history is full of head coaches saying one thing and doing another. A full-throated statement like this seems to be a pretty clear indication that Sarkisian is serious about what he's saying, though. Heck, he went as far as calling Austin home, which is a pretty big deal for a coach to say. Those guys aren't used to staying in one place for too long. With that said, Sarkisian does have two kids actually enrolled at Texas, one on the football team. He has a third kid he wants to go to Texas in the near future. He also just had a baby. Sarkisian has roots in Austin. He also has high aspirations for the Longhorns. “We came here to win championships," he said. "We’ve built a damn good football program over the five years that we’ve been here. We’ve been to two College Football Playoffs. We won a Big 12 Championship. We went to the SEC Championship game in Year 1. We’ve had 23 players drafted the last two years, which is more than any other school in the country and our team GPA is at an all-time high. “Can we please stop putting things out there that you have absolutely zero evidence on? Can we please stop retweeting and putting it back out there as if it’s true? As if it’s the gospel? It is not true."
New Angels pitcher Grayson Rodriguez reveals interesting health update after Orioles trade
Acquired in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles, new Los Angeles Angels pitcher Grayson Rodriguez believes there is a big reason why he is ready to put his injury history behind him in Anaheim. Just three days after turning 26 years old, Rodriguez is now a member of the Angels after a one-for-one trade that sent outfielder Taylor Ward to Baltimore. He is also hoping that a new location means an end to injuries that have limited him to 43 starts over the past three seasons. That includes zero starts and innings in 2025 because of an elbow issue in spring training, followed by a right lateral strain in April. More elbow problems popped up for Rodriguez in July before he underwent debridement surgery on his elbow in August, officially ending his season. That surgery, however, is, Rodriguez believes, the key to his return to the mound in 2026 as well as his ability to stay on it. Angels' Grayson Rodriguez said bone spurs have been an issue for a long time In a Zoom meeting with Angels reporters on Wednesday, Rodriguez said the bone spurs that were removed had been a problem for years. "That was something that's kind of lingered with me for about three or four years now," Rodriguez said. "I've had them for a while and kind of just got to the point where I couldn't really pitch through it. Pretty sure that's kind of what was causing some of the lat injuries." If that's the case, it could unlock a pitcher who has logged a 4.11 ERA in 238.2 innings over those 43 starts. He has also registered 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings while issuing just 2.9 walks. Getting those kinds of numbers would be a big boost for an Angels rotation that finished 28th out of MLB's 30 teams last season in ERA at 4.91. It would also represent a missed opportunity for an Orioles team that has stated it is looking for another front-line starter. Rodriguez said on Wednesday he would be ready for spring training, giving hope to the Angels that they have found a pitcher who can be a long-term answer for them on the mound. Rodriguez is not scheduled to be a free agent until the 2030 season. If Rodriguez can stay healthy and produce in Anaheim, it would be a gut punch for an Orioles team that is looking to get back into the postseason conversation in 2026. However, time will tell if those bone spurs are truly the answer to Rodriguez staying healthy and on the field.
Wild Jalen Hurts stat shows he's not the problem with Eagles offense
The Philadelphia Eagles' offense has not been as explosive since Kevin Patullo took over as the new offensive coordinator. The play-calling has been pretty predictable, and, according to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, some players blame quarterback Jalen Hurts for it. "Multiple offensive players have grown frustrated with Jalen Hurts' approach this season, particularly against zone coverage," Russini reported. However, advanced stats indicate that the Eagles aren't maximizing the talents of the reigning Super Bowl MVP. Jalen Hurts has been elite in deep throws this season According to Pro Football Focus on X, Hurts has seven touchdowns, zero interceptions and an outstanding passer rating of 128.2 in throws over 20 yards this season. The Eagles keep running a very conservative offense, even though, per Sharp Football Stats, 10% of their pass plays (55) have been explosive. Explosive pass plays are those that result in a gain of at least 20 yards. Hurts has been absolutely elite in those situations, and with two speedy receivers like A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, this team should be taking more shots down the field. Although they aren't as dominant as last season, the Eagles are still 8-2 and at the top of the NFC East. They have all the resources needed to return to the Super Bowl, and anything less than another deep postseason run should be seen as a failure. Then again, the coaching staff needs to put the players in a position to succeed, and that includes letting them do what they do best.
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