NBA Insiders Believe Suns' Chances of Landing Kevin Durant 'Dimmed'

One of two dominoes have fallen for the Phoenix Suns. 

Deandre Ayton is set to return to Phoenix after the Suns matched a four-year, $133 million offer sheet from the Indiana Pacers almost immediately yesterday.

The move ensures Ayton is around until at least January 15, which is the next time he'll be able to be moved again.

Phoenix general manager James Jones was adamant throughout the offseason that the Suns would do their best to keep their core together after seasons where they reached the NBA Finals and set franchise records in the regular season, respectively.

However, the Suns have yet to get over that hump, and many believe the key to that puzzle is Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant. 

Durant requested a trade from Brooklyn and reportedly had Phoenix has his top destination. After weeks of no movement, many believe the Nets are willing to hold onto their superstar forward. 

The recent move to keep Ayton in Phoenix has many around the NBA seeing a difficult scenario in which Durant landing in a Suns uniform becomes a reality.

NBA Insiders Believe Suns Might not Land Kevin Durant

ESPN's Brian Windhorst on "Get Up" this morning:

"It just closes some windows the Suns were interested in pursuing to get Kevin Durant. They really preferred to use Ayton in a trade for him as opposed to some of the players that they frankly feel are more in their core. And so now that is gone. So one of the reasons the Pacers put that offer sheet down was a bit of a test. 

"Would the Suns pass on keeping him because they knew that it potentially impact them? This also pushes them $15 million dollars in the luxury tax, that's the first time they've been in the tax in 12 years. A Durant trade not only would cost them an immense amount of assets, it could also add a bunch more salary, and I just don't know if they're in the mood to go that deep right now.

"So this is still a 64 win team, they're going to bring back the core of it, I don't think they've got any traction on a Durant move right now. It's not impossible but it definitely dimmed."

Fellow ESPN NBA insider Bobby Marks made similar points in a video he produced shortly after the Ayton news came down:

"What does it mean about Kevin Durant? I would say any chance of Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns is basically on life support unless there is a third team involved. So one-on-one with Brooklyn and Phoenix, I never thought Ayton was getting to Brooklyn because of the hard cap restrictions that triggers in a sign-and-trade. Basically he'd have to go to a third team. 

"Phoenix is basically running out of players right now. You basically have to get to $35 million (to match Durant's salary), Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, Landry Shamet, Cam Johnson, (Dario) Saric, Brooklyn's not doing Saric, Landry, Crowder, Cam Johnson and draft picks. That ain't happening. The Nets are not doing that type of deal. That is a C-, D+ type of trade. So now, do you rope in a third team?

"Does Bridges to Brooklyn, Donovan Mitchell to Brooklyn, Ben Simmons to Utah with all those draft picks, Durant to Phoenix make sense? The hard part is were were using the Ayton number to get to that $35 million number Phoenix has to send out. So now if you're Phoenix, you have to send out about $15/$16 million dollars more in salary. So now you're basically losing three players on your roster. That's really the only way, realistically, I would see Durant landing in a Suns uniform. 

"I've been on record, I've said I think he's in Brooklyn when training camp starts. But I don't see a Phoenix trade for Durant; basically what they have to offer unless a third team is involved to incentivize more things that are coming to Brooklyn." 

Arizona Sports' John Gambadoro believes the Suns are still in pursuit of Durant: