Kevin Durant is all set to play for his fifth different team in the NBA next season, and his preferred landing spots have now been revealed. ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that Durant would like the Phoenix Suns to trade him to the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, or Houston Rockets.
“The Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets are 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant’s preferred trade destinations out of Phoenix, sources tell ESPN. Those across the NBA have been made aware in recent days that those are the three teams that Durant would commit to long-term.”
Durant is entering the final year of his four-year, $194 million deal in 2025-26. Once a trade is finalized, the 36-year-old can sign a two-year, $122 million extension on July 6. If he waits another six months, he could sign a two-year, $124 million deal.
Durant appears willing to guarantee that he’ll sign a new contract only with those three teams, but that won’t stop the Suns from potentially sending him elsewhere.
“Durant is on an expiring $54.7 million deal for 2025-26, and the Suns have made clear to six-to-eight seriously interested teams that they will make the best deal for the franchise – even outside of his preferred list of Miami, San Antonio and Houston.”
NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the Toronto Raptors are one of the teams willing to gamble by acquiring Durant. The Raptors had, of course, traded for Kawhi Leonard in 2018 when he had just a year left on his contract, despite getting no assurances he would re-sign.
The Suns want a bidding war to ensure they get the biggest possible haul for Durant. The 15-time All-Star averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game in 2024-25 while shooting 52.7% from the field and 43.0% from beyond the arc.
While the Suns were a complete disaster this season, finishing 11th in the West with a 36-46 record, Durant can still be the missing piece for a team that aspires to win a championship. While it’s unlikely he turns the Heat into a contender, the Spurs and the Rockets could make some noise next season with him among their ranks.
What’s quite interesting about Charania’s latest report is that it appears Durant isn’t too keen on teaming up with Anthony Edwards on the Minnesota Timberwolves. The insider had previously listed the Timberwolves as one of the three teams leading the race to acquire the two-time NBA champion.
“You said a week, I think it could be even sooner than that,” Charania said. “I think there’s some motivation with some teams, potentially even sooner than seven days. Maybe the next few days, we could get some Kevin Durant trade action. There is some serious traction on conversations, on trade scenarios with the Suns.
“They’ve had about six to eight teams reach out,” Charania continued. “There’s been interest. There’s been some offers. There’s been some negotiations, but really in the last 24-48 hours I’m told the focus of the Suns’ conversation has been on few of the teams, and here they are: the Houston Rockets, the Miami Heat, and the Minnesota Timberwolves.”
The Spurs were not among the three teams, but Durant is interested in going there. It had also been reported that he saw them as his future destination. The Suns might not be interested in the Spurs’ rumored trade package for Durant, though, and it will be interesting to see how this situation pans out.
