Kevin Durant's Top Preferred Trade Destination Revealed

Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant was reported by ESPN this weekend to be down to three preferred trade destinations: the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets.

Of those three teams, The Athletic's Sam Amick and Jon Krawczynski reported Monday night that the Spurs are Durant's specific preference for where he wants to play next.

However, they added the Spurs, as well as the Heat and Rockets, have yet to make compelling offers for Durant ahead of the June 25 NBA Draft:

"To this point, league and team sources said, the Spurs, Rockets and Heat have not come forward with offers for Durant compelling enough to get the Suns to bite, which means they will continue to look at the market for a deal that suits them.

"As one rival executive put it, 'Phoenix is trying to drum up better offers.'

"The Rockets and Suns have had meaningful discussions about a deal, team sources said. Houston has a firm offer on the table but Phoenix, to this point, has been seriously underwhelmed by it. The Spurs, league sources say, have been conservative in their pursuit of Durant."

This is a big reason why multiple reports suggest that the Suns could move Durant to a non-preferred team. The Athletic specifically mentioned, "a fascinating fourth team that could re-emerge as a real contender in the coming days: the Minnesota Timberwolves."

In terms of the Spurs, they make a lot of sense why they would be at the top of Durant's list, most notably that he would get to play with Victor Wembanyama and right near his college town of Austin where he went to the University of Texas.

San Antonio has a lot of avenues to putting together a strong offer for Durant with the most likely deal involving the No. 14 pick, Devin Vassell, plus another player or two, such as Harrison Barnes, Keldon Johnson or Jeremy Sochan, for salary purposes, and future draft picks.

However, if Phoenix is looking for the best deal, it could demand the No. 2 pick from San Antonio or the 2024-25 Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle in return for Durant.

The Spurs and Rockets are in similar positions that they could choose to continue to build around their young cores, which is making them hesitant to put together firm offers for Durant, who will be 37 at the start of next year.

This could make teams like Minnesota even more in play as the draft draws closer and Phoenix tries to get another pick, even if Durant wouldn't commit more than one year to the receiving team.

Things are changing almost every day, but Durant has made it clear where he wants to go, so we will see if the Suns oblige or how everything shapes out before the draft.