The Spurs and Rockets are Kevin Durant‘s most popular commerce locations, league sources inform Sam Amick of The Athletic, who offers an outline of the standing of commerce talks together with Athletic writers Kelly Iko and Jon Krawczynski. Amick cautions that Durant’s need to play in San Antonio or Houston doesn’t imply he’ll wind up in a type of cities, as there are “complicating components” with each groups that make offers tough.
Shams Charania of ESPN shares an analogous report, however says Durant is desirous about becoming a member of the Warmth in addition to the 2 Texas groups. He states that “folks throughout the NBA” have been informed that these are the three groups Durant would think about signing an extension with. He has one yr left on his contract at $54.7MM.
Charania notes that when the commerce is full, Durant will develop into eligible July 6 for a two-year contract extension value as much as $112MM. If he waits till six months after the commerce turns into official, the extension rises to a possible $124MM over two years.
Sources inform Charania that Durant is being pursued by six to eight “significantly groups.” The Suns have knowledgeable these groups that they plan to make one of the best deal for themselves, even when Durant winds up someplace he doesn’t wish to go.
Within the Athletic report, Iko notes that the Spurs have a base of younger expertise, no present cap worries and a wealth of draft belongings (13 first-round picks via 2032), placing them in place for a “timeline-altering transfer” to hurry up the constructing course of round Victor Wembanyama. League sources inform Iko that San Antonio stays unwilling to half with the No. 2 choose on this yr’s draft, which is anticipated to deliver Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, however the Spurs would make the 14th choose obtainable.
Echoing a report earlier at this time by Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Iko states that Phoenix has been underwhelmed by presents constructed round Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes. Durant’s need to hitch the Spurs will issue into the equation, however Iko sounds skeptical {that a} deal will occur until their presents enhance.
The Rockets are in an analogous scenario, Iko provides, as a younger workforce that has to determine how badly it needs to disrupt its present timeline so as to add an ageing and costly participant, even one as productive as Durant. He notes that Houston and Phoenix have been engaged in talks relating to Durant for greater than a yr, however the Suns’ choice to restructure their entrance workplace, with Brian Gregory taking up as basic supervisor, have affected these negotiations.
Sources inform Iko that initially Phoenix was decided to regain management of its first-round picks that Houston owns in 2025, 2027 and 2029, and later switched to asking for a number of younger gamers resembling Alperen Sengun and Jalen Inexperienced. Workforce and league sources inform Iko that Jabari Smith has just lately develop into the main focus of the Suns’ pursuit. Iko hears that Inexperienced needs to remain in Houston and atone for his poor playoff efficiency and that the Rockets’ entrance workplace hasn’t proven a lot curiosity in breaking apart its younger core in pursuit of Durant.
Krawczynski discusses the problem of bringing Durant’s contract to Minnesota, which is at the moment above the second apron, identical to Phoenix. Wolves sources inform him that the workforce gained’t half with Jaden McDaniels in a Durant commerce, which implies Julius Randle or Rudy Gobert must be included to assist match salaries if Minnesota can regain the flexibility to combination by dropping beneath the second apron. Randle has a $30.9MM participant choice for subsequent season that he must agree to select up earlier than being included in a deal, whereas Gobert is beneath contract for $35MM. Krawczynski notes that both participant could be a stable addition alongside Devin Booker and will assist the Suns get again into the playoff race.
He provides that one other wage, resembling Donte DiVincenzo’s $12MM, must be included, and Phoenix would in all probability need one in every of Minnesota’s younger gamers thrown in, resembling Rob Dillingham, Terrence Shannon or Jaylen Clark.
