New Report Reveals Dark Horse Team In Kevin Durant Sweepstakes

A 2025 Western Conference playoff team is reportedly in the race for Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant

Mar 24, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) against the Milwaukee Bucks at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Kevin Durant sweepstakes are starting to heat up, and with teams lined up to acquire the 17-year NBA veteran, the Phoenix Suns are looking to recoup some of the assets they lost over the past 5 years.

Phoenix has one of the highest cap hits in the NBA at $257 million, which also puts them deep into the luxury tax and well over the second tax apron. This threshold severely limits the Suns' ability to make roster moves unless they aggregate salaries to match any team sending players in via trade.

Durant averaged 26.6 points per game on an incredible 52.7% from the field and 43% from beyond the arc in the 2024-2025 NBA season. At 36 years of age, Durant is still one of the league's best players despite getting bit by the injury bug in the last few years.

The Los Angeles Clippers made the playoffs in 2025 as the 5th seed in the Western Conference, before pushing the Denver Nuggets to a seven-game series and being eliminated. With a new defensive mindset and a core that Los Angeles knows can win at a high level in the regular season, they are now looking for ways to take their roster up another level.

Mar 4, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) makes a three point basket against LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the second half at PHX Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Radio Talk Show host on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM in Phoenix John Gambadoro went on air to talk about some teams that could be interested in Durant, with a sleeper team now in the mix.

"The one team that I think there will be communication [with]...this may be the Suns reaching out to them or them reaching out to the Suns or just mutual interest...is the Clippers," Gambadoro said.

He continued to say, "We've never talked about the Clippers before but they got [Ivica] Zubac, they got [Kris] Dunn, they got [Norman] Powell, they got Derrick Jones [Jr.]. I'll have to look at what their draft capital is but the Clippers are a team that I heard."

The LA Clippers are expected to speak with the Phoenix Suns about packages for Kevin Durant, per @Gambo987.

“They got Zubac. They got Dunn. They got Powell. They got Derrick Jones [Jr.]. I’ll have to look at what their draft capital is, but the Clippers are a team that I heard.”… pic.twitter.com/qceOTdcRQ7

— APHoops (@APH00PS) June 5, 2025

A deal for Durant would be massive for the Clippers if they could pair Durant back with Harden and form a "Big Three" with those two and Kawhi Leonard. In return, the Clippers would have to aggregate multiple salaries and part with major pieces of their already contending team to acquire Durant.

A package entered around Powell or Bogdan Bogdanovic, Zubac or Derrick Jones Jr., along with a 2031 first-round pick, a 2030 pick swap, and a 2032 first-round pick swap, would be the starting point for the Clippers, unless a third team is willing to join to facilitate the draft picks.

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