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NBA rumors: 1 big twist in Suns’ Kevin Durant trade talks
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- NBA rumors: 1 big twist in Suns’ Kevin Durant trade talks
The post NBA rumors: 1 big twist in Suns' Kevin Durant trade talks appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The Phoenix Suns are officially moving forward with the next era of their franchise after hiring former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott to be their next head coach. Now, the focus turns to how the Suns can reshape their roster to get back in the playoff picture in a very competitive Western Conference.
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One of the first things on that agenda seems to be trading Kevin Durant . The prolific scorer's time in Phoenix has clearly expired, and the partnership between him and the Suns organization has grown old. For a Suns team that could be a few years away from truly competing again, keeping Durant around for his age-37 season wouldn't be wise.
Durant is also entering the last year of his contract, which throws an extra wrinkle into his trade market. Some teams will be willing to trade for Durant even without assurances that he will sign with them long-term, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
"It is not uncommon, two years and change later, to hear that some potential suitors are willing to make trade pitches for Durant with no assurances than the 36-year-old stays beyond the 2025-26 season," Fischer wrote. "The risk of approaching it as a one-year rental as Durant enters the final season of his current contract at $54.7 million is theoretically offset by the idea that the trade outlay required to get him would be much less daunting than it was for the Suns."
There were rumors that Durant could be moved at the trade deadline, but he ended up shutting that down quickly. However, now it could be time to find a new home.
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If Durant is traded somewhere as a rental, it will significantly diminish the return that the Suns would be able to get for him. That isn't what Phoenix wants after giving up a ton to get him from the Brooklyn Nets years ago, but it may be what the Suns will have to settle for.
Ideally, the Suns will find a team that will trade for Durant and give him an extension in order to maximize the return for him in a trade. Getting as many pieces back as possible would help Phoenix continue to build around Devin Booker as it tries to get back to the top of the Western Conference.
Related: Suns rumors: How much Phoenix can buy out of Bradley Beal's $111 million left on contract
Related: Suns rumors: The $150 million contract Devin Booker is 'widely expected to secure'
