The NBA offseason has barely begun, but the smoke around Kevin Durant’s next destination is already becoming impossible to ignore. Now, it’s Bill Simmons fanning the flames and dropping what could be the biggest bombshell of the summer.
On a recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, the veteran NBA analyst revealed he wouldn’t be surprised if a trade between the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs involving Kevin Durant is already completed behind the scenes. According to Simmons:
“I wouldn’t be surprised if KD to the Spurs is done already and they just haven’t announced it. Basically, they’ve agreed on specifics, just announce it on the week of the draft.”
“This goes back to the Giannis thing. I think they trade for KD because it just costs less. They’ll be able to be real competitive and maybe go a couple of rounds in the playoffs, but they’re also going to keep the No. 2 pick and do it that way, which is my prediction.”
While Simmons emphasized he has no official “inside info,” this lines up with recent reporting from NBA insiders who have linked Durant to the Spurs for weeks. The Suns’ asking price for Durant, once astronomical, has reportedly dropped significantly, especially since many teams now view Durant as a one-year rental.
The 36-year-old is entering the final season of his $54.7 million contract in 2025–26, and several teams are reportedly fine acquiring him without a long-term extension in place.
San Antonio, however, offers the ideal mix of youth, cap space, draft capital, and a generational centerpiece in Victor Wembanyama. Durant has privately expressed interest in playing with Wembanyama, and per John Gambadoro, someone close to Durant recently discussed the Spurs as a serious landing spot.
It’s believed there’s “mutual interest” between Durant and the Spurs to form a new Western Conference power.
A potential Spurs package for Durant would not include the No. 2 pick, which they intend to use to select a star backcourt partner for Wembanyama, but may feature the No. 14 pick and two key rotation players such as Keldon Johnson and Tre Jones.
That would allow the Spurs to acquire Durant while still building around a young core of Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle (their projected No. 2 pick), Devin Vassell, and Jeremy Sochan.
For Phoenix, shedding Durant would signify a hard reset after the Durant-Booker-Beal trio failed to yield playoff success. With new head coach Jordan Ott at the helm, the Suns may prefer to retool around Booker with more depth and flexibility rather than another top-heavy, injury-prone roster.
With the NBA Draft just weeks away, all eyes are now on San Antonio. If Simmons is right and history suggests he often is when it comes to seismic NBA shifts, then Kevin Durant might already be a Spur in everything but name.
The official announcement may simply be a matter of timing. And if that’s the case, the Wemby-KD era could be the next superteam rising in the West.
