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The 2024-25 NBA playoffs are now underway - and the Phoenix Suns are a conspicuous absence after making the 16-team tournament four consecutive years prior to this season.
One of the consequences of finishing 36-46 this season is the likely departure of franchise cornerstone Kevin Durant after a touch over two years in the Valley.
While no franchise would ever find solace in trading one of the best players of all time, this course of action is quite literally the only avenue the Suns have when it comes to replenishing a depleted asset pool.
Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report expanded on the idea - with a bold idea that would send Durant to a franchise that has reportedly been enamored with him going back to 2019.
The trade:
Miami Heat Receive: F Kevin Durant
Phoenix Suns Receive: F/C Kel'el Ware, F Duncan Robinson, G Terry Rozier, 2025 first-round pick (via Golden State Warriors), 2030 first-round pick (top-five protected via Miami Heat)
"The Suns should be looking for packages that include win-now veterans, draft picks and promising young big men to pair with Devin Booker and keep the All-Star shooting guard happy in Phoenix," Swartz wrote.
"Miami can check all of those boxes while offering some financial relief as well."
While it would be up for debate as to whether a potential Miami package is the strongest, the presence of both Ware and the two first round picks.
Ware began to flash the high-end upside that endeared the Indiana product to so many scouts ahead of last June's draft - the rookie could become a foundational building block under the next staff that represents the franchise.
Robinson has been a three-point marksman in the league for half a decade, and Rozier has shown the ability to be a quality starting point guard despite struggling at times in Miami.
Overall, the package is interesting at worst - Ware is certainly a player that possesses All-Star potential.
It ultimately is likely to come down to which teams face untimely playoff exits and who makes a run in the postseason - so Suns fans should stay tuned in the coming weeks.
More must-reads:
- Do NBA players secretly admire Kawhi Leonard's alleged side hustle?
- Insider suggests Giannis Antetokounmpo's days in Milwaukee 'numbered'
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Mavericks have another out-of-shape star
When the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis last season, the team was concerned about its young star's conditioning issues. Now, Doncic is on the cover of fitness magazines, and Davis is 15 pounds heavier than at last season's training camp. At last year's training camp, the Los Angeles Lakers listed Davis at 253 pounds. This season, the Mavericks listed him at 268 pounds, a dramatic increase from 12 months ago. He looks noticeably bigger, though "The Brow" still put up seven points and seven rebounds in the Mavericks' preseason opener Monday night, a 106-89 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Anthony Davis spent the summer recovering from a serious surgery One reason Davis might not be in his usual condition is his offseason surgery to repair a detached retina, an injury he played through for most of last season. While the surgery was successful — Davis will wear protective goggles for the remainder of his career — he had to go weeks without exercising as part of his recovery. For his part, Davis claims he always likes to go into training camp a little heavy to avoid getting "too small" when he loses weight during the season. Being larger may be a conscious strategy for Davis, but he's still at least 10 pounds heavier than his previous efforts to come to training camp above his playing weight. Anthony Davis was a questionable choice for a team concerned with health It's not Davis' fault that he's suffered so many injuries, including an adductor strain in his very first game with the Mavericks that kept him out for the team's next 19 games. But it was a curious choice to swap Doncic for a player six years older than him. 2024-25 was the most injury-plagued season of Doncic's career, and he ended up playing just one fewer game than Davis. Over Doncic's seven-year career, he's played 450 games. In that same time span, Davis has played 377, roughly 10 fewer games per season. Doncic himself weighed in at 244 pounds for the Lakers, which is higher than his official weight of 230 pounds for most of his career, but far lower than his reported weight in the "high 260s" last season. Doncic clearly wasn't nearly as committed to fitness a year ago. But like Davis, much of Doncic's weight gain last season was a consequence of not being able to exercise after a severe calf strain. A player can have a fantastic regimen of exercise and preparation, but that goes out the window if injuries won't let him follow that routine. That's where the Mavericks seem to have had a blind spot with Davis. He may well drop the extra weight quickly and play himself into shape, but the odds are high that an injury will leave him off the court and out of shape again.
LeBron James & Steve Nash Send Strong Message to Adam Silver Over Long-Standing Kawhi Leonard Issue
Jacksonville Jaguars Announce Unfortunate Decision After Win Against Chiefs
The Jacksonville Jaguars ended their 16-year losing streak to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night after a thrilling 31-28 victory at EverBank Stadium. Trevor Lawrence turned in another strong performance to help lead the Jaguars to victory with 18-of-25 completed passes for 221 yards and one touchdown. It wasn’t all good news for the Jaguars, though, who improved to 4-1 after taking down Patrick Mahomes and the mighty Chiefs. They lost starting tight end Brenton Strange in the first half after the former Penn State Nittany Lions star suffered a hip injury. Strange was unable to return to the game, and tests have determined a significant quad issue for the 24-year-old. The Jaguars took to social media on Tuesday to announce that Strange has been placed on injured reserve (IR), which means he will be forced to miss at least four games due to his hip problem. “The Jacksonville Jaguars have made the following roster moves: Placed TE Brenton Strange on injured reserve Signed WR Tim Jones to the practice squad Released WR Erik Ezukanma from the practice squad,” JaguarsPR posted on X. In five games played this season, Strange has already registered a team-high 20 catches for 204 yards. He hasn’t scored a touchdown yet, but is currently on pace to set career-high receiving marks. This injury is a tough blow amid his strong start, and the hope is that Strange will be able to pick up where he left off once he’s healthy enough to return. The silver lining for the Jaguars here is that Strange has reportedly avoided a season-ending injury, and the team expects him to be back in around a month. For now, Jacksonville will need to turn to the likes of Johnny Mundt and Hunter Long to fill the void at tight end. The Jaguars also announced on Tuesday that they’ve brought in WR Tim Jones to the practice squad, while Erik Ezukanma has been released. It remains to be seen if Jones will be able to do enough to earn a spot on the active roster. Jacksonville’s next game is on Sunday as they take on the 3-2 Seattle Seahawks in a home game at EverBank Stadium for Week 6.
Browns Announce Myles Garrett News Ahead of Steelers Game
The Cleveland Browns are 1-4 on the season and just underwent a big change after they traded veteran quarterback Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals. Now, ahead of their Week 6 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, they are facing some issues with their roster. On Wednesday, the Browns released their injury/participation report for their latest practice. One player (Shelby Harris) did not participate due to rest, while nine had limited participation due to various reasons. Among the players who were limited was Cleveland defensive star Myles Garrett, who is still nursing a nagging ankle injury. It's worth noting that Garrett missed a practice and was limited in two leading up to their Week 5 game against the Minnesota Vikings. With that said, there were concerns about his availability for the contest. The good news is that Garrett was able to play, recording three tackles in the 21-17 Cleveland loss. Sure enough, Garrett's condition will be worth monitoring heading into the showdown with Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers. Garrett's defense remains a big weapon on a Browns team that is still figuring out its offense and quarterback of the future. The one-time Defensive Player of the Year already has 21 combined tackles, eight tackles for loss, eight QB hits and four sacks. Even Rodgers himself admitted that the Steelers are wary of Garrett, whom he described as "one of the few players in the league" that "you game plan for and you watch the film," per 93.7 The Fan. The Browns really need Garrett to be at 100% if they want to beat the Steelers in Week 6. If he continues to be bothered by his ankle injury, it could spell trouble for the team once again. Cleveland plays Pittsburgh on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.
Ex-Cardinals Hurler Cuts Ties With Diamondbacks Following 6th MLB Season
Offseason player movement is starting to pick up, and the St. Louis Cardinals are watching some old friends re-enter the market. Four-year Cardinals pitcher Jake Woodford elected free agency from the Arizona Diamondbacks last week. But as it turned out, he wouldn't be the only ex-St. Louis hurler on his way out of the desert. On Monday, Woodford was joined in free agency by a pitcher some may have forgotten made his Major League Baseball debut with the Cardinals, before beginning a journeyman arc. Nabil Crismatt elects free agency On Monday, right-hander Nabil Crismatt elected free agency from the Diamondbacks, according to his official transactions page. The 30-year-old has now played for four teams in his six-year professional career. Crismatt debuted with the Cardinals in 2020, pitching six games and allowing three earned runs in 8 1/3 innings. He elected free agency after that season, too, setting the tone for what was to come over the next several years floating around the National League West. From 2021 to 2023, Crismatt found a gig with the San Diego Padres, pitching 159 2/3 innings in the brown and gold. Then, he was designated for assignment and signed with the D-backs for the first time, and progressed to the Los Angeles Dodgers for the 2024 season. In total, Crismatt has been released or DFA'd nine times in his professional career, and has now elected free agency eight times. The life of a journeyman is all about persistence. For Arizona this season, Crismatt put up a 3.71 ERA in 34 innings, allowing 40 hits and striking out 25 batters. His best work came out of the bullpen in San Diego, especially in 2022, but he's been more of a swingman/starter of late. Would the Cardinals consider taking a minor-league flier on Crismatt this winter? It's not out of the question, as there will likely be some spot starts and swingman roles available throughout the year as St. Louis tries to integrate some of its younger pitchers into the rotation on a more permanent basis.
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