Kevin Durant‘s time with the Phoenix Suns seems to be coming to an end. After a pathetic season, seeing the Suns placed 11th with a 36-46 record, it is abundantly clear that their super team project was a disaster.
Durant himself requested a trade out of the Suns organization. The notion of drafting one of the most talented scorers in the league’s history has certainly been viewed as a tantalizing opportunity for some. Teams such as the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs have shown a lot of interest in acquiring the superstar.
At 36 years old, the forward remains a formidable offensive player. Notching averages of 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists on 52.7% shooting makes him borderline lethal. However, his $54.7 million expiring contract also makes him a liability for any team looking to acquire him.
Durant is currently in the process of looking to win a ring. The aspirations to join a title-contending team will certainly limit the number of potential landing spots.
While the Rockets and the Spurs do hold a lot of promise, their timeline may not necessarily align with Durant’s. Hence, a potential move to a team like the Los Angeles Lakers may not be completely off the cards.
While the notion of Durant joining the Lakers is exciting, the logistics are challenging. However, Sports Illustrated’s Jackson Caudell presented a wild trade package to ensure the Suns forward joins LeBron James and Luka Doncic to form one of the most ridiculous “Big Three” pairings in league history.
Proposed Trade Details:
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Kevin Durant, Terance Mann, Nick Richards
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Grayson Allen, Cody Martin, Jarred Vanderbilt
Phoenix Suns Receive: Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, Dalton Knecht, Shake Milton, Gabe Vincent, Kobe Bufkin, unprotected 2031 first-round pick (via LAL), 2027 2nd round pick (From ATL, via CLE), 2029 2nd round pick (From ATL, via CLE), 2031 2nd round pick (from ATL, via CLE)
Sports Illustrated’s trade package sees an incredible number of moving parts between the three teams, with 13 players and four picks in total. But does this move benefit each team?
The Lakers Form Their Big Three And Solve Their Big Man Issue
This trade package has its pros and cons for the Lakers. While the acquisition of Kevin Durant is a win, the Purple and Gold will see a lot of their key rotation players on the way out.
Durant’s arrival is a clear indication of one thing: offense. The team’s offensive integrity will go through the roof, on paper. By pairing a flat-out scorer like Durant with two gifted playmakers in Doncic and LeBron James, the Purple and Gold effectively ensure that they will score at a high clip in every game.
Alongside Durant, the Lakers would also receive Nick Richards and Terance Mann from the Phoenix Suns and the Atlanta Hawks, respectively.
The Lakers’ need for a big man in the upcoming season has been listed as a priority for the franchise. Richards’ acquisition could be the answer this team is looking for.
The Suns’ center is a bona fide seven-footer. At his size, he is considered to be particularly mobile, fitting the profile set out by the Lakers for their ideal big man. He also happens to be a reliable defensive presence, which proves to be a bonus in light of the Lakers’ lack of rim protection.
The big man notched an average of 9.3 points and 8.2 rebounds on 59.1% shooting from the field. While his numbers don’t necessarily jump off the page, it is important to note that he only averaged 22.7 minutes per game.
Mann appears to be a solid acquisition for improving the Lakers’ wing depth. Considering the piece moving out of the rotation, the 28-year-old presents himself as a solid two-way player and perimeter threat off the bench. He averaged 7.7 points and 3.0 rebounds on 49.6% shooting from the field and 36.8% from beyond three-point territory.
The trade could be potentially fruitful for the Lakers. However, the downsides stem from Durant’s acquisition.
Doncic is a ball-dominant player. This means that he tends to score off shots he creates for himself. The presence of the 15x All-Star may not necessarily yield fruitful ball movement and open looks.
While Durant’s arrival also gives the Purple and Gold a lot of length on the wings, he isn’t necessarily as spry as he used to be. This could make him a defensive liability. Additionally, considering his injury history, the Lakers may end up vulnerable if the star is sidelined at any point in the season.
The Hawks Acquire Defensive Presence and Bench Depth
The Atlanta Hawks may walk away from this deal with a very balanced win. Acquiring the likes of Grayson Allen, Cody Martin, and Jarred Vanderbilt could be immensely beneficial for the team, given their current state.
The Hawks saw a tough end to their season after being eliminated in the Play-In tournament. While they feature some talented players in their midst, it is clear that they need more roster depth. This trade fulfills exactly that.
Allen has displayed a lot of ability as a perimeter threat and a defensive player. Although extremely physical, statistically, he isn’t the most foul-prone player. His presence on the perimeter alongside Dyson Daniels could make for a lethal wing defensive unit.
He also recorded an average of 10.4 points and 3.0 rebounds per game while shooting at a highly efficient 42.6% from beyond the arc. As an off-the-ball player willing enough to relocate to find better looks, the guard would stand to benefit from playing alongside a playmaker like Trae Young.
Cody Martin and Jarred Vanderbilt also offer a tenacious defensive presence. Although Vanderbilt is a limited offensive player, his averages of 5.1 rebounds per game and his long wingspan make him a valuable player off the bench.
Meanwhile, Martin wasn’t the most noteworthy player during his time in Phoenix. When given more minutes, the forward has showcased an ability to score the ball with efficiency, averaging 6.8 points on 41.8% FG in the 2024-25 season.
The Phoenix Suns Get It All
The Phoenix Suns win this deal in its totality. Considering their efforts to offload Durant to build around Devin Booker, the Suns also managed to bring in some immensely talented players along with an incredible wealth of draft capital.
The biggest acquisition for the Suns in this trade is Austin Reaves. Given his upcoming contract extension next summer, the Lakers may be forced to trade the guard in case he opts out of his contract. This has caused him to be mentioned in several trade packages this season.
Viewed as the Lakers’ third star on any given day, Reaves’ averages of 20.2 points and 5.8 assists on 46% FG would see him beautifully next to Booker in the Suns’ backcourt.
Although this pairing could be a challenging fit, considering how similar they are, Reaves’ ability to adapt to the team’s requirements would ensure that the combination works.
Along with Reaves, the Suns also receive a lot of perimeter depth from the Lakers. Hachimura, Kleber, and Knecht offer solid shooting presence. The Lakers’ forwards, in particular, would also give Phoenix some flexibility with their rotations, offering their talents as floor spacing options while also being solid on the defensive end.
Hachimura notched an average of 13.0 points and 5.0 rebounds on a highly efficient 41.3% from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Knecht showed real signs of being a great shooter, notching 9.1 points on 37.6% shooting from three-point range.
The numbers don’t align for Kleber since he only played a handful of games this season. But his career average of 35.4% from behind the three-point line makes for a very reliable perimeter presence.
The Suns would also receive a lot of guard depth on behalf of the Lakers in the form of Shake Milton and Gabe Vincent. While neither pushes the needle, Vincent showed immense upside as an on-ball defender and perimeter shooter. He averaged 6.4 points per game on 35.4% shooting from three-point territory.
From the Hawks’ side, Phoenix would acquire Kobe Bufkin, a sophomore guard who missed a majority of the season due to a shoulder injury. He has shown some capacity to score, with an average of 5.3 points per game on 38.3% shooting. But the sample size is too small to discern what kind of impact he would have on the team.
The other major benefit for the Suns is the four draft picks they receive as part of this trade. The 2031 first-round pick from the Lakers certainly has immense value. Meanwhile, the 2027, 2029, and 2031 second-round picks only add to build the team’s reserves.
Given the timeline the team would be on after the trade, they would have enough flexibility to build through the draft and compete, or even package the picks to acquire another major star via trade. Needless to say, this trade is extremely beneficial for Phoenix.
Moving Durant certainly poses a challenge, and this trade package showcases an interesting but convoluted solution for it. In retrospect, our proposal showcases a much simpler way in which the Suns can offload Durant, allowing the Lakers to step in to build a super team for the ages.
