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Warriors' Steve Kerr Gets Honest About Near Kevin Durant Trade With Suns
Dec 28, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) controls the ball against Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant is likely on his way out of The Valley this offseason.

There was some mid-season drama, as the Suns nearly traded Durant without giving the forward a heads up. The superstar didn't request a trade, either.

Phoenix was eager to make a move. Jimmy Butler was on their radar, though a few setbacks hindered their ability to strike a deal with the Miami Heat.

It's clear the Suns weren't going to drum up any noise this past season, though, which proved to be true with their 36-46 finish as the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference.

Durant's unwillingness to be traded hindered the Suns sending him to the Golden State Warriors -- though the club did offer him in a deal to his former team.

The Suns superstar later cleared the air, squashing false narratives about why he didn't end up on his former squad in a mid-season trade.

"People talk crazy about me all the time," Durant told ESPN. "That's not the reason why I didn't want to come back. I just didn't want to get traded midway through the season. It was nothing against my time with the Warriors."

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who led Durant in his three-year stint in the Bay Area, opened up about the near trade recently.

"I think it's well documented that we were trying to get Kevin Durant, but that didn't happen," Kerr said. "And after that, Mike [Dunleavy] calls me and says, 'I think we're going to trade for Jimmy Butler, I'm going to vouch for him. Guy's a gamer, hell of a player, and I think that's gonna work.' And I said, 'Great, let's do it.' We needed a change."

Kerr is quite honest here, admitting the Warriors were, in fact, aiming to land Durant at the deadline. Still, they ended up with the Suns' top trade target, that being Butler, and that fared quite well for them.

Phoenix could very well circle back with Golden State and look at a potential offseason Durant deal.


This article first appeared on Phoenix Suns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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