After months of quiet tension and trade speculation, the Kevin Durant era in Phoenix is rapidly drawing to a close. According to Suns insider John Gambadoro, a Durant trade is “very close,” with Phoenix continuing to engage multiple teams in hopes of finalizing a blockbuster deal within the next 24 to 48 hours.
“A Kevin Durant deal is very close. Phoenix continues to work with multiple teams to get the deal they want, and I expect it will happen today or tomorrow.”
This marks the most significant development in the Durant trade saga since murmurs of a split began surfacing around the February trade deadline. Back then, the Suns were still within striking distance of playoff positioning and hoped their star trio of Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal could make a late push.
But as the season crumbled and Phoenix finished a disappointing 11th in the Western Conference, missing the postseason entirely, the writing was on the wall. The championship window Phoenix had hoped to pry open with Durant slammed shut, and both parties quietly began working toward an exit.
Initially, five teams emerged as potential suitors: the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, and New York Knicks. Among them, three were quickly identified as Durant’s preferred long-term destinations: Houston, San Antonio, and Miami. These were the franchises Durant reportedly would be willing to commit to beyond his current contract.
At one point, the Spurs looked like the early frontrunners. Durant, according to Gambadoro’s sources, viewed San Antonio, home to generational phenom Victor Wembanyama, as an ideal destination.
The Spurs even prepared a potential offer featuring the No. 14 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and two young players. But Phoenix wasn’t impressed. They rejected San Antonio’s bid, signaling that they were aiming for a significantly higher return than the Spurs were willing to part with.
From there, the Wolves made a push, despite reports that Durant had no interest in joining Minnesota. Their front office saw Durant as the perfect alpha to pair with rising superstar Anthony Edwards. An offer was even leaked, which included a mix of picks and rotation players, but Durant’s lack of enthusiasm reportedly stalled negotiations.
Sources around the league suggest the Wolves may have since exited the sweepstakes entirely, left confused by unclear direction.
Then came Houston. The Rockets have stockpiled assets over the past few seasons and were considered an ideal mix of win-now and future flexibility. For a moment, they and Durant shared mutual interest.
However, Houston, like Masai Ujiri did with Kawhi Leonard years ago in Toronto, played the waiting game. They believed Phoenix had little leverage and could be pressured into a lesser deal. But the Suns stood firm, and a Houston offer was turned down as Phoenix continued demanding a premium.
Miami, meanwhile, has been lurking throughout. Pat Riley and the Heat front office have made preliminary offers but have reportedly been unwilling to include prized young center Kel’el Ware, the No. 15th pick in the 2024 Draft.
Ware is seen internally as a potential franchise cornerstone, and the Heat are reluctant to part with him even for a talent like Durant. Still, Miami remains in the hunt and could pivot at the last minute if the right framework materializes.
And then there’s the Knicks, a team long linked to Durant, dating back to his 2019 free agency. Reports at the trade deadline suggested Durant was open to joining either the Celtics or the Knicks, but no formal offers ever surfaced.
Since then, there has been little momentum out of New York, and unless something changes dramatically, the Knicks may remain more of a “sleeper” than a serious threat in this chase.
As it stands, Durant’s departure from Phoenix now feels like a matter of “when,” not “if.” The Suns, already saddled with three massive contracts, are under immense pressure to reshape their roster around Booker while still remaining competitive. Shedding Durant’s salary while recouping multiple assets, young players, picks, or both, is essential.
Durant’s time in the Valley has been marked by frustration more than triumph. Injuries, awkward fit alongside Booker and Beal, and a lack of depth sunk Phoenix’s ambitions, and despite Durant averaging over 26 points per game in two seasons, the team never made it past the second round.
Now, with the Suns facing a pivotal offseason, it seems the end is imminent. And whether it’s San Antonio, Miami, or a mystery team that swoops in at the eleventh hour, one thing is clear: Kevin Durant’s final chapter in Phoenix is about to be written.
