Phoenix Suns Reportedly Rejected Darius Garland Trade For Kevin Durant

After months of speculation about his future, Kevin Durant was officially given his fifth team when the Phoenix Suns traded him to the Houston Rockets in return for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, five future second-round selections, and the 10th-overall pick in the upcoming draft. The writing was on the wall for Durant's departure from Phoenix, and several different teams made their bids for the former MVP's services.

For the Cleveland Cavaliers, there were multiple conflicting reports about whether they were a possibility to land Durant or if they were even interested. According to Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor, the Cavs weren't just interested; they actually submitted a formal offer, one that included one of their core young stars:

"[John] Gambadoro did say to me on the podcast earlier that the Cleveland Cavaliers were one of the sleeper teams for Kevin Durant. That at least shows that they have a willingness to take big swings. I heard that they offered [Darius] Garland in that deal for Kevin Durant. Garland is not Evan Mobley, but... they at least showed a willingness to think big and go for a big star player."

Cleveland didn't have the draft capital to match Houston's offer to the Suns, as they didn't have a first-rounder eligible to be traded until 2031. Still, it's hard to imagine that Phoenix preferred Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the upcoming 10th selection, and five future seconds to landing a bona fide All-Star guard like Darius Garland, regardless of the rest of the package — which has yet to be disclosed — and Garland's big toe injury.

One thing that's important to note is that the Suns reportedly took Durant's preferred destinations into consideration. His current contract only runs through next season, so even if Phoenix didn't care to hear his thoughts, he and his camp could have discouraged any unwanted suitors from pursuing him by threatening to leave in free agency next summer, making any potential deal a one-year rental.

If what O'Connor said is true and the Cavaliers did put Garland on the table for Durant, KD likely shot down the deal himself, as his reported shortlist only included the San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, and Houston Rockets.