Durant has clarified why he did not want to be traded mid-season.
Kevin Durant remains in the headlines when it comes to rumors and questions about the trade deadline that has passed. The Phoenix Suns had the opportunity to acquire Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat in a three-team trade that would have sent Durant to the Golden State Warriors. It was rumored that the Suns would have received first-round draft picks, Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kaminga, and possibly Jonas Valančiūnas if the Washington Wizards had entered the trade conversation as the fourth team.
When I saw that trade rumor, my instant reaction was: Do it. It made sense for the Suns to move on from Durant after things had not gone as planned. By adding Butler, they would have gained a defensive presence and a ball-dominant wing who could dictate the game on both ends of the floor.
Kuminga, now seen as the X-factor for the Warriors in their pursuit of the NBA Finals, would have brought youth and potential, while Jonas would have provided at least a solid starting center. Oh, and there were also future first-round picks and pick swaps rumored to be included.
But Durant did not want to leave, and he explained why during his appearance on The Draymond Show podcast.
“We can play the season out and if that’s the decision you want to make in the off-season then we figure it out.”
Kevin Durant on vetoing his own Suns-Warriors trade at the deadline ️
(via @DraymondShow)pic.twitter.com/8pLxhVJahJ
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 26, 2025
“I didn’t want to move,” Durant said to his former teammate. “I cost a lot. Me going to your team in the middle of the season? It’s gonna be a big blow to any team I’m going to. I get why y’all wanna trade me. Simple fact. That’s just business but for me lookin’ at it, I’m just like, ‘It just don’t make sense for either side right now to go through that when we just play the season out and if that’s the decision you wanna make it the offseason, then we figure it out.’”
“If I can stop it,” he added, “then why not?”
The Suns will likely trade Durant this offseason, meaning the rest of the season will feel numb and full of empty seats at PHX Arena, unless things take a drastic turn. Even if the Suns were to make a run with Durant leading the way, the front office has already soured on the relationship, making it unlikely that Durant would want to return.
That is why the Suns should have pulled the trigger.
But now that we’ve heard Durant’s reaction, do you buy his reasoning for not wanting to leave? And do you believe he will be back next season?
At the end of the day, this situation highlights the Suns’ biggest problem: uncertainty. If Durant stays, will he be committed? If he leaves, what’s next for Phoenix? The franchise is at a crossroads, and how they handle this offseason could define their future for years to come.
Oh, and anything Suns for the remainder of the season that is on ESPN will look and sound like this.
This is most likely Kevin Durant’s last season as a Phoenix Sun, per @WindhorstESPN
“They’re gonna trade him and he knows that. I think everybody’s intentions are crystal clear here”
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24 )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 26, 2025
Unless a miracle happens, the dark days in Phoenix are back.
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