Kevin Durant’s future with the Phoenix Suns isn’t set in stone. Mat Ishbia’s team is stuck in a difficult situation with the team over the second tax apron, limited trade assets and no draft picks. Devin Booker is the franchise cornerstone and Bradley Beal has a no-trade clause. That leaves Kevin Durant as the only major trade chip.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Grant Hughes proposed a trade that would send Durant back to the Golden State Warriors – a team he won two championships with. The trade would be costly for the Warriors, though. Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and a 2025 draft pick would all be heading to the Suns.
“Stephen Curry has two more years on his deal, and it seems clear the organization is committed to surrounding him with a competitive team,” Hughes reasoned, “Durant will turn 36 before next season starts and comes with health risks, but he’s probably the more valuable short-term contributor than Kuminga, Wiggins or Moody…The Suns are extremely expensive, inflexible and in for a long stretch of ugly seasons if and when their three max players decline or break up. A Durant trade is the only way to soften the landing over the latter half of this decade.”
The Warriors will undoubtedly look for ways to improve their roster this summer. Failing to make the postseason this year will certainly have upped the level of urgency within the front office. That urgency will only get more intense as Steph Curry ages. Adding Durant would immediately put Golden State back in contention.
Whether the Warriors would be willing to part with Kuminga would likely be the sticking point. He has shown that he has the potential to be the future star of the franchise. Nevertheless, if you want to bring in one of history’s greatest forwards, you must make some sacrifices.
