Insider expects Suns' Kevin Durant to be traded in the offseason

The NBA trade deadline saw nine current or former All-Stars getting moved, marking the most high-profile midseason transfers in league history. If you thought those moves were a hoot, prepare for more fireworks this coming offseason. 

According to NBA insider Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Kevin Durant is almost certain to be traded by the Suns following the 2024-25 season. On Wednesday's edition of "Get Up" on ESPN, Windhorst said Durant's future in Phoenix is up in the air after his name surfaced in trade talks with the Warriors, Timberwolves and the Heat earlier this month. 

"He's probably going to get traded this summer," Windhorst said of Durant. "He knows it. The Suns know it. The rest of the league knows it. They're gonna enjoy him while they have him."

Windhorst added the Suns, who have a $220M payroll, are left with no choice but to trade Durant due to their inability to improve the roster. While Bradley Beal owns a no-trade clause, the Suns have only one tradable first-round pick. Furthermore, they have no other players with notable trade value except for Devin Booker, who has expressed his desire to stay in Phoenix his entire career.

The Suns' urgency to trade Durant also stems from their subpar record this season. Mike Budenholzer's team has lost six of its last eight games, including back-to-back defeats to the lowly Trail Blazers. 

"You have an extremely expensive team that's not winning," Windhorst said. "...You don't need a high-level analyst to tell you that they probably need to trade him, which is why they were exploring the trade market for him."

The Suns started the season with an 8-1 record before reverting to the team that got swept in the first round of last year's playoffs. This season, they face a tall task to make the postseason, with the Warriors, Kings, Timberwolves and Mavericks locked in a tight battle for play-in spots.