Report: Kevin Durant Trade Could Expand to Record-Breaking Number of Teams

The Kevin Durant trade could get even bigger than it already is when finalized after the new league year begins on July 6.

The Athletic's Fred Katz reported Wednesday that the trade, originally between the Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets, could be expanded to include a record-setting number of teams.

Katz wrote:

"League sources tell The Athletic that the Rockets and Suns are working on expanding the Kevin Durant trade into a deal that would involve a league-record seven teams. Other teams involved in negotiations at the moment include the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves, league sources say."

He then detailed that there would not be much that ends up changing in terms of already-reported deals that include the Suns' end of the trade.

"In a would-be seven-team trade, there is an unprecedented amount of detail. Unfortunately, while a seven-team trade would make for a thrilling topic at a cocktail party, there haven’t been many unexpected developments in these negotiations. At least in the iterations of the deal discussed so far, most of the recognizable names are from trades that have already been agreed to and reported but not yet finalized.

"The Hawks would be sending Clint Capela to the Rockets in what would become a sign-and-trade, league sources say. Durant would go to Houston. The previously reported return for him, including Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green, would go to Phoenix. Only five players who were in the NBA last season are being discussed in the current iteration of the trade, as of now: Durant, Brooks, Green, Clint Capela and Daeqwon Plowden, league sources say. The rest of the players being discussed are all from already-agreed-upon draft-night trades that are yet to be finalized and can't be until July 6."

The Suns were reported to have received five second-round picks in the Durant deal and dealt four of them away during the draft in three separate trades involving the Warriors, Nets and Timberwolves that ended with Phoenix moving up to the 31st and 41st picks, which were used on St. Joseph's forward Rasheer Fleming (31) and Kentucky guard Koby Brea (41).

Phoenix also received the No. 10 pick from Houston in return for Durant, which they selected Duke center Khaman Maluach with. All three of the draft picks, as well as Green and Brooks, have yet to be officially announced since the Durant deal has not been finalized yet.

This trade appears to be much more complex than it was originally reported to be, but it does not seem like anything will change on the Suns' side when it does become official. However, we will see what ends up happening.