Bradley Beal Expected Not To Be Traded By Suns: Kevin Durant Could Be On The Block

The Phoenix Suns might not be able to move Bradley Beal this winter and will have to consider Kevin Durant as their next trade piece.

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Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Suns seem to be at the end of their months-long pursuit of Jimmy Butler. The franchise might be forced to consider alternative upgrades after failing to find an acceptable home for Bradley Beal, who has a no-trade clause. 

One of those paths might just be looking at Kevin Durant as a trade piece, according to Sam Amick, David Aldridge, and Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

“A league source close to Beal reiterated on Tuesday that there are currently no talks about him waiving the clause and that he expects to remain in Phoenix through the deadline. Enter Kevin Durant, who could provide an alternate pathway to landing Butler.” 

This is a bizarre pivot. Jimmy Butler would not make the Suns contenders if he’s joining a team led by Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. The appeal behind Jimmy is to be the ideal third star behind Booker and Durant instead of Booker’s likely co-star. Trading Durant could give the Suns a much bigger trade package which likely lands them more players and future assets, but it’s a completely backward move.

Durant is averaging 26.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists this season. He is the only All-Star on the Phoenix Suns this season and is a frontrunner for an All-NBA selection in his 18th season at age 36. 

He might be old but he’s been their best player this season and is the player the Suns traded a wonderful supporting cast and future assets for just two seasons ago.

Former ESPN analyst Zach Lowe, who’s currently on a sabbatical and not working with any publication for the 2024-25 season, decided to warn everyone that something major is happening with Durant behind the scenes.

“Lots of eyes and ears around the league on the Kevin Durant situation right now.”

Trading Durant is equivalent to declaring the Mat Ishbia era a flop already, as it would see the team regress into building a depth-focused complementary core to support Booker instead of the multi-star model they’ve used since Ishbia took over.

Beal is averaging 17.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists this season. While he’s been solid off the bench, he just isn’t even worth half his Supermax contract right now based on production. 

The Suns handicapped themselves when they acquired Beal and are now stuck with him, with the guard reportedly not wanting to uproot his family again.

“The unrelenting word continues to be that Beal has no desire to bless a trade pretty much anywhere and prefers to remain in Phoenix, where his family has been settling after finally leaving the nation’s capital.” 

He might have been willing to uproot it if he was being sent to the Heat for Butler given Miami has previously been a destination he’s wanted to play for, but the Heat have made it clear they do not want Beal on their roster. 

There’s no way Beal accepts being salary dumped to a franchise like the Bulls or the Hornets, so he’ll stay in Phoenix until some good team comes for him.

This is bad news for Jimmy Butler, whose position on a trade is almost incoherent at this point. Hopefully, he still finds an acceptable situation before February 6 so he can return to the court.

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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