DeMar DeRozan could be backup trade option for teams that miss out on Kevin Durant

According to GeniusIQ shot data, Gilgeous-Alexander ranked second behind only Sacramento’s DeMar DeRozan in 2-point jump shots made (261) and attempted (495) this season. Gilgeous-Alexander’s 52.7% shooting on those shots ranked second behind only Phoenix’s Kevin Durant among players who attempted at least 150 2-point jumpers. Gilgeous-Alexander joined Durant and Chris Paul, a pair of future first-ballot Hall of Famers, as the only players with at least 250 made 2-point jumpers on 50% shooting or better in multiple seasons since player tracking began in 2013-14. “As my game’s been molded and as I came into my own, I’ve tried to stick with what works and what’s comfortable to me,” Gilgeous-Alexander told ESPN. “That’s one of those things that just has become very comfortable. Then I’ve figured out how to find certain spots in certain situations, and now I just play with it. But it all started with building the comfortability, and [Cassell] had a big part in that for sure.” -via ESPN / June 16, 2025

DeMar DeRozan: “Yeah, I mean, it’s a year-round thing. For me, that goes back to making sacrifices. I don’t go out. I don’t drink. I’ve never had a drink in my life. Not saying there’s anything wrong with it—but me personally—I’ve never had a drink. Not once. None of that.” “I’ve always looked at it from the standpoint of: my whole goal in hooping was to play as long as I can. When I first came into the league, I used to make fun of all the old heads. I’d be like, ‘Man, why you putting ice on your knees?’ And they’d tell me, ‘Start putting ice on before you need it.’ And I’d be like, ‘All right, f*** it. I’ll do it.’ Nothing was hurting, but I started doing it anyway.” -via YouTube / June 15, 2025

DeMar DeRozan: “Ice tub? Same thing. I just started ice tubing—just because. But it became a routine, and eventually it turned into a necessity. It led me down this tunnel of: what else can I do to prolong what I want to do? Eating healthy, taking care of myself, getting sleep—I just try to find every avenue possible to prolong my career.” “I’ve been lucky, knock on wood, to not have any major injuries. But that’s because I take care of myself. It’s never-ending. Even now, I ask trainers, ‘What remedies you got that actually work?’ Ice baths? Epson salts? I’ll try it. I try everything. I’m a student of my own body. Whether it’s stretching every single day, or whatever else—it could be the smallest thing or something major—I stay on top of it. Because I just want to keep playing this game as long as I can.” -via YouTube / June 15, 2025

Teams such as Houston and San Antonio simply see little need to make asset-rich offers for Durant when A) they know that the Suns face self-imposed pressure to try to assemble a deal that delivers even half as much as they gave up to acquire the future Hall of Famer in February 2023 and B) both teams have long-held reservations about bidding aggressively for a player who will be 37 in September … and when their respective cores are so much younger. -via marcstein.substack.com / June 18, 2025

Damichael Cole: Per sources: The Grizzlies are not interested in trading for Kevin Durant. They contemplated an offer at the trade deadline, but they haven’t and don’t intend to engage on a trade for Durant this offseason. -via x.com / June 18, 2025

So, you think we’re getting to a point of either a best-and-brightest offer all the way around, or could you see a dark horse coming in here—someone we haven’t talked about?” Sam Amick: “Well, it’s again the question of: does Kevin change his stance on any of the teams not on his list? Now, I keep making this distinction. My understanding is you have the list—the thing his camp chooses to leak to the media—and then you have the real stuff, which is what Kevin is telling people. And we’ve come across some of that, and there’s reason to believe he’s looking at San Antonio above the rest. Now, as you know, Dave, because you and I lived it with the Fox trade, we just saw how the Spurs had zero intention or willingness to give up anything on their roster—let alone anybody in their young core. I don’t know that that has changed all that much. The way it’s put to me: they’re not going to go all in to get Kevin.” -via YouTube / June 18, 2025