Following a hectic few days of NBA deals, Kevin Durant could be the last superstar to monitor ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline.
Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, De’Aaron Fox, Jimmy Butler, and Khris Middleton have all changed teams within the last week. The rumor mill is now focused on whether the Phoenix Suns will move the four-time scoring champion by 3 p.m. ET.
Time is ticking to complete another massive blockbuster, but ESPN’s Shams Charania reported shortly before the deadline that several teams are seriously pursuing Durant.
“From what I’m told, there are multiple teams making really aggressive calls to the Suns on Kevin Durant,” Charania said on NBA Today.
“From what I’m told, there are multiple teams making really aggressive calls to the Suns on Kevin Durant.”@ShamsCharania on what he’s watching as the trade deadline approaches
pic.twitter.com/Hwd6N48mGg
— ESPN (@espn) February 6, 2025
Charania added that the Warriors made a “very strong pursuit” of Durant before acquiring Butler, but the two-time NBA Finals MVP didn’t want to return to Golden State. According to ESPN colleague Brian Windhorst, the Suns nearly acquired Butler from the Miami Heat and sent Durant back to the Warriors.
While teams are attempting to acquire the 36-year-old superstar, Charania stressed that Durant never requested a trade. The insider believes the talks are “somewhat blindsiding” the future Hall of Famer.
“Going into this week, this season, I don’t think a trade was something he was thinking about,” Charania said. “He has wanted to stay in Phoenix.”
Two years ago, the Nets traded Durant to Phoenix for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, and four unprotected first-round picks. Durant has averaged 27.0 points in 122 games with his current team, but the Suns have fallen well short of superteam aspirations.
The Denver Nuggets eliminated Phoenix in the 2023 postseason’s second round en route to a championship. The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Suns in last year’s first round,
Durant continues to play at a high level, averaging 26.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game this season. However, the Suns are 10th in the Western Conference standings at 25-26 with the NBA’s fourth-worst defensive rating.
Earlier this week, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported a “rising belief” around the league that Phoenix could move Durant. The Suns have the NBA’s highest payroll, and Bradley Beal has a no-trade clause.
Related: Kevin Durant Reportedly Makes Final Decision On Warriors Trade