Remember when the Raptors traded for Kawhi Leonard even though he wanted to go to the Lakers? One year. One title. Then he was gone. Worth every second.
Or when the Thunder traded for Paul George even though he also wanted to land in Los Angeles? He liked it so much in OKC that he re-signed. Later, the Thunder flipped him for a war chest of picks and launched a new era.
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Just like Leonard’s Spurs and George’s Pacers, the Suns don’t owe Kevin Durant a damn thing. KD may want the Heat, Rockets, or Spurs, but Phoenix’s only responsibility is to the present and future of its own franchise.
And that’s exactly how the Suns are operating. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported this week that they’re “unexcited” by what those preferred teams are offering. Shams Charania added that Durant has no interest in Minnesota, despite the Timberwolves being the most aggressive team so far in pursuit.
Of course, Durant has some leverage. He has one year left on his deal. He’ll be 37 next season. And even when things look good, he tends to find something to mope about. So teams are understandably cautious about bringing in someone who might not want to be there. Already, The Athletic reported Minnesota doesn’t want to trade for Durant unless he says he wants to be there.
(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
But as the Leonard and George trades prove: all it takes is one team willing to roll the dice.
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Every time Charania talks about Durant, he mentions “wild cards” and “dark horses.” His colleague Marc Spears even said there’s “fear” from KD and his agent Rich Kleiman that teams won’t “respect” what Durant wants.
Sure, everyone wants a say in where they live and work. But Durant’s on a run of bad choices. First KD picked Brooklyn, and the Nets had to trade Jarrett Allen because KD and Kyrie Irving insisted on signing DeAndre Jordan. Disaster. Then he picked Phoenix. After one year, both he and Devin Booker wanted Deandre Ayton to get traded, which resulted in Jusuf Nurkic. And Durant admitted to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports that he pushed for the Bradley Beal acquisition. Another big mess. Maybe the best thing for Durant is not getting what he wants.
In fact, Durant has already been denied by his top choices. There were rumblings at the trade deadline KD wanted to land with the Celtics or Knicks. New York’s interest reportedly isn’t mutual anymore. Boston’s cap sheet and trajectory make that scenario highly unlikely.
Plenty of other teams should still want him though. Yes, Durant is aging. And yes, he could bolt in a year. But he’s still at best a top-10 player and at worst a top-25 player. If you think he’s the guy who gets you to the Finals, you make the call. Even if you believe he puts you only one more piece away, he might be worth it.
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What matters now isn’t just Durant’s list. It’s which teams are bold enough to ignore it. So let’s talk about those theoretical teams, based purely on hypothetical fit — not reporting — unless specifically noted.
Orlando Magic
What they could offer: Jonathan Isaac, Anthony Black, Jett Howard, Goga Bitadze, and the 25th pick
Why they’d want KD: It’s an all-in move to follow up on the Desmond Bane addition. With a top-seven rotation of Bane, Jalen Suggs, Kevin Durant, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Moe Wagner, and Tristan da Silva, the Magic would have length across positions, and a lot more shooting than ever before.
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Why it works for KD even if he doesn’t know it yet: The Magic have everything they need to win except shooting. Adding KD and Bane helps solve that in one summer. This would be his most complete team since the Warriors.
Detroit Pistons
What they could offer: Tobias Harris, Simone Fontecchio, and multiple picks (while also waiving all cap holds except for Malik Beasley to create cap space)
Why they’d want KD: He’s better than Harris in every conceivable way, and he would give Cade Cunningham a high-efficiency scorer and secondary playmaker to relieve pressure.
Why it works for KD even if he doesn’t know it yet: The Pistons would still need some internal progress to become contenders, Cade included. But this team is close and would still have the pieces to make another move.
Denver Nuggets
What they could offer: Michael Porter Jr., Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther, Hunter Tyson, and a 2031 first to Phoenix, Zeke Nnaji to a third team
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Why they’d want KD: Because he’s Kevin Durant. This deal guts the bench, but the upside is undeniable. KD, Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Christian Braun could overwhelm anyone. They’d just have to have some solid plans to fill out the roster with league-minimum free agents.
Why it works for KD even if he doesn’t know it yet: It’s the chance to play next to a prime Jokić. This would be the most intelligent, unselfish and balanced team Durant has joined since the Warriors.
Durant to Denver? (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Christian Petersen via Getty Images)
LA Clippers
What they could offer: Norm Powell, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Drew Eubanks, the 30th pick, and a 2031 first
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Why they’d want KD: Powell really folded in the playoffs. He looked more like an 82-game guy and less like a 16-game guy. This would be a quadruple down on the old-man core. Might as well go for it if you’re not gonna go the other way.
Why it works for KD even if he doesn’t know it yet: Yeah, it’s not ideal. But you get to live in Los Angeles and play on a talented roster. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden might be unreliable, but if it breaks right you’re in the West finals with a chance to win it all.
Philadelphia 76ers
What they could offer: Paul George and three future firsts
Why they’d want KD: Durant is an obvious upgrade over George, who was a better podcaster than basketball player last season. With George’s albatross contract, an extra first needs to be added. And even if George were to come back strong, Durant is a far better fit with the remaining core.
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Why it works for KD even if he doesn’t know it yet: Maybe Embiid stays healthy. Maybe you’re the final piece that finally gets Philly over the hump. Maybe you become the hero the franchise needs.
Toronto Raptors
What they could offer: Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl, and multiple picks
Why they’d want KD: Because Masai Ujiri is under intense pressure to improve the team before his contract expires next year.
Why it works for KD even if he doesn’t know it yet: The Raptors would still have ammo for another star. Remember: Kevin Garnett didn’t want to go to Boston until after the Ray Allen trade. KD could be the first domino — Giannis, the second?
That makes six. And maybe KD wouldn’t want any of them. After all, he doesn’t want the Timberwolves, despite back-to-back trips to the West finals. But that’s exactly why there’s real concern from Durant and Kleiman about where he might land.
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Plenty of teams have the contracts and picks to build the best offer for Phoenix. Some are veteran contenders. Others are young and rising. Durant may not want to end up on one of them. But there’s no guarantee the Heat, Rockets, or Spurs are willing to top those offers.
All it takes is one wild-card team bold enough to ignore the list, bet on the talent, and live with the noise. History shows: sometimes, the gamble ends in a parade.
