Now in his second full season with the team, things are not going all too well for Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns. This season, they are 35-40 and own the No. 11 seed in the West. After a disappointing season last year, the Suns are in legitimate danger of missing the postseason. Over the last few months, many reports have surfaced that suggested that Durant and the Suns are likely to move on this offseason. This was especially evident after they included Durant in trade talks in February. However, according to recent reports, this may no longer be the case.
According to The Ringer’s Logan Murdock, the two-time champion may be open to remaining in Phoenix.
“If there’s anything left to learn about this team, the next month should reveal it. The book isn’t closed on Durant returning to the Suns next season. League sources suggest that Durant, who will be eligible for a two-year, $122 million extension this offseason, would be open to a return,” Murdock wrote.
Furthermore, Murdock wrote that the Suns are not likely to get a return as valuable as what they gave to the Brooklyn Nets to land Durant back in 2023.
“And while most people around the NBA expect the Suns to trade Durant in the offseason, the sharpshooter is now 36 and set to become a free agent after next season; he is unlikely to fetch a haul like the one Phoenix gave up for him.”
Shocking Kevin Durant-Phoenix Suns Development Has Emerged
A Kevin Durant Trade Is Still Inevitable?
Back in February, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst spoke about the possibility of the Suns trading Durant this upcoming offseason. According to Windhorst, a trade will “probably” happen in the summer.
“Yeah, [Durant]’s probably going to get traded this summer. He knows it, the Suns know it, the rest of the league know[s] it, they’re going to enjoy him while they have him. It’s not really controversial in all honesty… you have an extremely expensive team that is not winning, and the player that is their most expensive player, who is playing great but not impacting them on a positive level, you do not 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…I would expect this summer for Durant and the Suns to work together to find a new home.”
Following Murdock’s report, Durant’s situation became even more interesting. Until something is official, this will be worth monitoring.
The Last Word
While he is in the backend of his career, Durant is still a top player in the NBA. He remains one of the best scorers in the league and provides immense value on the court. If the Suns opt to trade him, they will likely have numerous suitors for him. However, keeping Durant around could make sense for Phoenix. This is especially true if the Suns still believe in their team and want to compete for a title.
Photo Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
The post Shocking Kevin Durant-Phoenix Suns Development Has Emerged appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.