"They're Going To Trade Him, And He Knows That" - Brian Windhorst Is Already Laying The Groundwork For An Inevitable Kevin Durant Trade Later This Summer

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I don't think it would be a stretch to suggest that so far this season, the Phoenix Suns have been one of the more disappointing teams in the NBA. Some of that is injuries, some of that is roster construction and their limitations, some of that is probably the coaching, some of that is the lack of internal improvement from some of their star players, it's a long list if we're being honest. 

At 27-31 and currently on the outside looking in of the Play In while being in 2nd apron hell due to their expensive ass roster, I think we all know what happens next. It's time to smash the rebuild button. Unfortunately, Bradley Beal owns a no trade clause, so good luck there. Someone like Devin Booker is young enough to where you'd be silly to bail on him, plus he's the franchise player. Unless James Jones wants to be the next Nico Harrison, my guess is Booker is staying put.

So how do you rebuild if you can't trade those guys? I don't think it's a surprise what that then means

Alright, you know the drill!

Now, unlike previous Windy Trade Nuggets, this one isn't exactly a secret. We already saw the Suns potentially entertain this idea at the trade deadline, but that ultimately fell through because KD didn't want to move during the season. You don't have to believe that, but he did just go on Draymond's podcast and reiterate it, while also leaving the door open for something to happen later this summer

So it's not as if Windy is talking out of his ass in that clip. We all know the deal. The Suns did their best to create a superteam, when that didn't work they tried to blame the underachievement on the coach, and now with nothing changing even with a new coach, it's time to cash your chips in and start over. Get draft capital back, clear your books the best you can, and begin the journey back up the mountain.

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The question now moves from "will the Suns trade KD" to "where will the Suns trade KD to?" and this is where things get interesting. After what just happened in the Luka trade, I don't think there is a trade scenario that you could deem "not realistic". Everything is on the table, especially when you're talking about an All Time player who clearly still has plenty of basketball left in the tank.

First and foremost, the money part matters. If Durant is going to be traded this summer, he enters the trade market with this contract

My assumption is any deal we see will have a similar result as the Jimmy Butler trade in that whoever trades for him will most likely extend him for 2 more years. What's different about this potential trade is of course the timing. When you're dealt in the summer, that opens your market a little more. Now, if a team has cap space, they don't need to go dollar for dollar in any type of trade like this. They could just absorb KD into that space (unless you're a 2nd apron team obviously or don't have $50M in cap space).

Unfortunately, when looking at the projected cap space for 2025-26, only one team in the market would have the money to take in KD's salary without needing to find $50m+ to send back out

Call me crazy, but I do not think we're getting a second run in BKN for Durant. 

Some of the potential destinations will depend on what certain teams may end up doing in an effort to get under the 2nd apron/luxury tax, but chances are the end result will be a team that has both a positional need AND the available contracts to make the math work.

Is it possible a reunion in GS could on the table in the summer if GS signs and trades Kuminga and pieces? Could the Sixers use this as a way to unload Embiid's or George's contract and build around Maxey/KD and maybe Cooper Flagg? Could the Nuggets try and flip MPJ and his $35M? Could the Celts trade their role players to get under the 2nd apron and then move an aging player like Jrue? What if OKC or SA want to get into the mix in terms of offering a fuck ton of picks? What if Miami finally pulls the trigger on a big fish with their high salaried players like Herro/Robinson/Rozier?

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The point is, everything and anything is possible! 

From a basketball standpoint, this isn't a case where the player is washed up and isn't worth investing in. It's also not a case of a disgruntled player who is demanding a trade and willing to burn everything to the ground to the point where you need to accept 60 cents on the dollar for him. KD is showing no signs of regression, and as long as he's down to keep playing, it can make sense for certain teams to get into the Kevin Durant business. 

At this point in the NBA calendar, I think it's still too early to pick where he goes. I believe a lot of the interest on the market could come as a result of how this year's playoffs shake out. If a certain team underachieves or a certain high salary player doesn't perform, that may eventually dictate if that team enters the KD sweepstakes this summer.

But again, from everything we're being told and what we've seen already, this is more of a "when" thing than an "if" thing.