Durant era over in Phoenix? Deep dive on his present, future with Suns

Kevin Durant arrived in Phoenix as the ultimate initial splash of the new Suns team owner Mat Ishbia, who treated Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and four future unprotected first round elections for Brooklyn for the superstar just before the 2023 trading deadline.

He has reached 30,000 career points and is still one of the game’s best players, but Suns has come a long way below the championship expectations with him.

Minnesota swept them last year in the first round. Phoenix has a losing record with fewer than 20 games back this season and is in danger of missing out on the playoffs for the first time since 2019-20.

This is not how Suns imagined the Durant era unfolding – and all signs point to it ending this summer, unless this team embarks on a crazy race after the season.

Durant has one year back on his four -year -old, $ 194 million agreement he signed with Nets.

“Suns need a hard reset around Devin Booker,” Washington Post National NBA writer Benjamin Golliver said. “They have very few assets to work with, and they will find themselves having to shop booking down the road if they do not act aggressively to put a more competent rotation around him.

“It looks like Suns and Kevin Durant would both feel better if they share ways this summer.”

‘Part of the business’

Sources informed Arizona Republic that Durant’s camp was upset Phoenix, put him in trade negotiations before the deadline of 2025 last month when he rejected a move back to Golden State, winning back-to-back NBA titles and finals MVPs.

But between Suns, who has already seemed to move Durant, publicly told him that he understood it and his camp that questioned these conversations, it is hard to see him living in Phoenix over this season.

“That’s part of the company,” Durant said last month after the trade deadline. “Everyone is bought and sold in this league. Everyone can be at auction. “

Ishbia’s all-in approach has led him to mark NBA’s first team of $ 400 million, one that is over the league’s second taxpayer apron, limiting Phoenix’s watch list flexibility.

Suns has no control over their first round of elections from now until 2032, and they currently cannot trade their choice of first round from 2032 due to being over the second apron.

Sources informed the Republic that the most ideal return on one Durant trade regains three first round elections and a young player as part of a multi-team deal tied to get under the second apron.

Durant has to earn $ 54.7 million in the last year of his deal next season.

How to get under 2nd tax apron

Suns could take back less to make the deal. Milwaukee did so by trading Khris Middleton, which is due to $ 31 million this season, to Washington for Kyle Kuzma, who is going to $ 24.4 million.

Suns could ideally take back $ 35 million in a combination of players to save essentially $ 20 million and get under the second apron.

Houston and San Antonio make sense as trading partners for choosing the first round. Oklahoma City has Gobs of them, but this would have Durant back to the franchise he left for Golden State, a step that still doesn’t sit well with some thunderstorms – and it happened almost 10 years ago.

When taking Ishbia’s approach to draft elections, Suns could then use the choices acquired in a Durant trade to help move Bradley Beal as well.

Beal is currently in the third year of his five -year -old, $ 251 million deal with a player setting, but he has a clause without trade.

Suns could also work to slip under the second apron by dealing with Grayson Allen or Royce O’Neale. Allen is at a four -year extension of $ 70 million, and O’Neale has a four -year -old, $ 42 million, but they cost Suns more than $ 100 million in luxury tax penalties this season.

Suns, as it is, has $ 218 million in salary next season, which includes non-guaranteed players Nick Richards and Cody Martin. They have a club setting at VASA MICIC.

When he is under repeater tax, Phoenix is expected to pay $ 165 million in luxury tax next season. That’s more than what they pay this season.

Suns could give up microphone and Martin and sign two veterinary minimum guys saving them $ 80 million to $ 90 million in luxury tax. Phoenix acquired Micic and Martin from Charlotte in trading with Jusuf Nurkic before the deadline.

Martin hasn’t played for Suns this season.

Staying in championship competition?

Moving Durant Scream Reconstruction, something that goes against Ishbia’s championship-to-all-cost mindset.

So Suns could look like to get two rotation players combining to earn just about $ 54.7 million Durant, next season to avoid a reconstruction – and acquire a draft election or two.

“You could trade Durant for some expires of contracts to get out of the apron in the end, but it won’t be that easy,” said senior NBA writer Sam Amico from Wire Hoops. “He probably only has a few other places he would be willing to go.”

Golliver sees Dallas Mavericks as a potential trading partner for Durant, involving Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington and “Whatever chooses they have left,” and then seems to move Beal to Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George pending Beal who removes his commercial provision.

“The resulting team still wouldn’t be good enough to compete, but at least its veteran pieces would fit better together on the paper,” Golliver said. “Mike Budenholzer was paid nicely to win now instead of overseeing a reconstruction, so this plan would theoretical theoretical work from a coaching standpoint. At least for a year or two. “

That’s if Suns decides to keep Budenholzer signing a five-year deal for $ 50-plus millions.

“Given that Suns has gone from Monty Williams to Frank Vogel to Mike Budenholzer in successive seasons, why not a fourth coach for four seasons?” The United States today said NBA author Jeff Zillgitt.

“Budenholzer’s track record is solid and he does not compose this list. He is not the question. If Suns went in a different direction with Front-Office leadership, it makes Budenholzer’s future less stable. “

Durant for butler in the summer?

Then there is, oh wow, opportunity with Durant.

Suns needed an ideal landing site for Beal to get him to remove his non-trade to acquire Jimmy Butler, but to no avail.

They would desperately pair the former Miami Heat Star with Booker and Durant.

Given that they had such a great interest in Butler – and Warriors still had enough of a love for Durant to pursue him – a league source flowed an idea to the republic that had Suns Trade Durant to Butler in the summer.

Butler signed a two-year extension of $ 121 million throughout the 2026-27 season after falling a player setting for the 2025-26 season. Suns would remain over the other apron, but eventually lands the player they pursued for weeks.

These are trading opportunities, but standing Pat for next season does not appear to be an alternative action.

“I can’t imagine that they would drive it back as constructed,” said NBA TV analyst Greg Anthony. “What they do depends on what direction ownership will go. Want to rebuild, fine -tune or reintroduce? “

What about booker?

Sources informed the Republic that Suns could probably get four choices of the first round for booker and a rising star in its third or fourth year.

Booker has zero options on his four -year -old, $ 220 million SuperMax, who will have three years back after this season, but Booker has stayed 10 with Suns through the good and the bad.

Anyone can be converted, as Mavs moving Luka Doncic last month, but Suns and Booker will remain with the hip-less franchise’s leading goal scorer would have out.

The idea of Trade Durant seemed crazy as late as at the start of this season. Suns and Durant did not sew a one-year extension, and realized they could agree on a two-year extension in the high season for $ 123.8 million.

An appointment that is likely to set up Durant to end a Hall of Fame career in Phoenix.

Just two years ago

Now it seems that they will move on without one of the early greatness.

Suns was in a similar situation two years ago when they could have held Chris Paul after losing to the possible NBA Master Denver in the 2023 conference’s semi -final, but they would not pay him when he took his age into consideration.

Paul was in the third of a four-year-old, $ 120 million deal with the third year that was partially guaranteed. When Paul was 38 years old, Paul had $ 15 million of $ 30.8 million, which was set to kick in June 28, 2023. His last year was non-guaranteed.

Suns chose to move Paul, the catalyst for their race to the 2021 final, for Beal, a three-time all-star that average 30-plus points for Washington Wizards in back-to-back seasons (2019-21).

Suns created a new Big 3 in Booker, Durant and Beal, but they are nowhere near being championship developers.

Now, Suns is in a similar situation where they have to decide on a great time of wage rack, luxury tax, their mistakes on the field and anger all part of the thoughts.

Unless Phoenix makes a monumental turn, it seems that the Durant era ends this season after starting dreaming of a first NBA championship for the city just two years ago.

Do you have opinions about the current sunshine? Well Suns Insider Duane Rankin on [email protected] Or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, on @Duanerankin.

Support local journalism. Start your online subscription.

CavabarderThe Pulse of Today, The Insight for Tomorrow

Thursday

Durant era over in Phoenix? Deep dive on his present, future with Suns

‘Part of the business’

How to get under 2nd tax apron

Staying in championship competition?

Durant for butler in the summer?

What about booker?

Just two years ago

USC vs. UCLA WOMEN BIG TEN FINAL LIVE UPDATIONS, START TIME, TV -CANAL

Death Stranding 2 Details Delicious in front of Kojima -Panel later Today

Littum

Cavabarder

Durant era over in Phoenix? Deep dive on his present, future with Suns

‘Part of the business’

How to get under 2nd tax apron

Staying in championship competition?

Durant for butler in the summer?

What about booker?

Just two years ago

USC vs. UCLA WOMEN BIG TEN FINAL LIVE UPDATIONS, START TIME, TV -CANAL

Death Stranding 2 Details Delicious in front of Kojima -Panel later Today

Littum

Related Posts

Cavabarder