Deep Dive: Pros and Cons of Favored Teams to Trade for Kevin Durant

The three favorites to land Kevin Durant come with a lot of potential challenges.

Mar 2, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) dribbles against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) during the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- A Kevin Durant trade is likely coming very soon, but there are still a lot of question marks and hurdles to navigate depending on which team he goes to.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported earlier this week, "the Suns are looking for a comparable package for what they traded Kevin Durant, which is impact players and multiple draft assets."

Phoenix traded away Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four unprotected first-round draft picks (2023, 2025, 2027, and 2029) and a 2028 first-round pick swap to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Durant and T.J. Warren in Feb. 2023.

NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Saturday in The Stein Line the Suns are really focused on getting back some draft capital for Durant. Fischer wrote:

"The Suns, sources say, are hoping to acquire a measure of quality draft capital as part of the return for Durant, sources say, and thus have been conducting due diligence on various levels of first-round prospects in the belief they will obtain at least one meaningful selection in the draft taking place 11 days from now. At present Phoenix only holds the 29th and 52nd picks."

It seems pretty unlikely the Suns could get a comparable package back now for Durant, who still proved to be at the top of his game this season, but will be 37 at the start of next season and only has one year remaining on his contract for $54.7 million.

Durant is eligible to sign a two-year extension after July 6, so that also plays a factor in where he ends up depending on if he wants to sign it with the receiving team.

Phoenix could additionally focus on trying to get under the second tax apron with a Durant deal, which would mean taking back less salary in the trade.

The Suns, Durant and his business partner Rich Kleiman have recently been working together to find a trade partner before the June 25 NBA Draft after Phoenix unsuccesssfully tried to trade Durant at the deadline.

With that said, Phoenix could still opt to trade Durant to a non-desired destination.

Ever since teams knew the Suns were looking to move Durant back before the deadline, there have been several suitors that have popped up.

Now, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Suns have reportedly narrowed their focus to three teams, all three of which make sense for the Suns and Durant: the Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat and Houston Rockets.

Charania and several others have reported a deal could be done as soon as the end of this weekend or early next week.

There are still several obstacles to navigate with all three of these teams, and the trades could very well end up being three- or four-team deals because of that.

Here are some notes and how the pros and cons of the three teams stack up for the assets the Suns could get in return from each team without a multi-team deal:

Minnesota Timberwolves

Mar 28, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) brings the ball up as Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) defends him in the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images / Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

The Timberwolves are the odds-on favorite currently to land Durant and also tried to trade for him at the deadline, but The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski reported on X Saturday:

"I know there has been a ton of chatter about the Wolves and KD. I believe, like in February, there is interest. There have been some discussions about deals. But as far as I know, nothing is close. Things can always change quickly, but that’s where I’m at right now."

I know there has been a ton of chatter about the Wolves and KD. I believe, like in February, there is interest. There have been some discussions about deals. But as far as I know, nothing is close. Things can always change quickly, but that’s where I’m at right now.

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) June 14, 2025

The likely framework of a package from the Timberwolves to the Suns would include Rudy Gobert, Donte DiVincenzo and Rob Dillingham. The Suns could also want picks No. 17 and No. 31, which Minnesota holds in this year's draft.

Fischer pointed out a notable tidbit about the Timberwolves if the Suns were to trade with them:

"Trying to nail down a plausible trade framework for the Wolves and Suns on a Durant deal gets tricky when you remember that both teams are still stuck in the second apron for the rest of the month as the NBA's 2024-25 calendar year draws to a close. Second apron status leads to the same mutual inability these teams have in trade talks to aggregate contracts, which proved to be a considerable roadblock in the teams' February discussions.

"It appears likely, then, that any trade to send Durant to Minnesota would have to be verbally agreed this month and then executed after the annual leaguewide moratorium on business at the start of July is lifted on July 6. Just as we see with so many draft-night trades.

"Minnesota would fall under the second apron if both Naz Reid and Julius Randle bypass the player options they hold for next season. As we've been reporting for some time now, that is certainly the case with Reid, who is expected to decline his $15 million player option for 2025-26 to become a free agent."

Pros:

• Minnesota has arguably the best player available of all teams in Gobert. Additionally, the Suns have been reported to value a center in the return for Durant, which Gobert would provide.

• The Suns would get a few win-now pieces in Gobert and DiVincenzo, as well as a young player to develop in Dillingham.

• Durant would team up with Edwards, who has long called Durant his idol and favorite player of all time. The two would attempt to get Minnesota over the hump to the NBA Finals after it was eliminated in the Western Conference Finals the past two seasons.

Cons:

• Navigating both teams being currently above the second apron and the Timberwolves' impending free agents makes it a difficult situation, especially on Minnesota's side.

• If the Timberwolves were to keep both Reid and Randle, they would have a positional overload with Durant and no true center without Gobert. If Randle and/or Reid are included in the deal instead of Gobert, the trade couldn't get done before the draft.

• There are a lot of question marks surrounding Gobert, especially his play in the playoffs. Would the Suns be willing to take him back as the centerpiece for Durant?

• Would the Suns want to do a trade if the Timberwolves don't include at least their No. 17 or No. 31 overall selection in this year's draft?

Miami Heat

Jan 29, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) drives to the basket past Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) during the second quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Heat, who were another team to inquire about Durant ahead of the deadline, would make for an interesting destination for 15-time All-Star after they were the No. 10 seed in the East this season, but won out in the play-in to make the playoffs and were swept in the first round.

Miami could put together a package for Durant centered around Andrew Wiggins that could include young players, such as Kel'el Ware, Nikola Jovic and/or Jaime Jacquez Jr., as well as an expiring contract in Duncan Robinson and draft capital.

The Heat hold the least desirable first-round draft pick this year of the three teams at No. 20, but could still offer that and future draft assets.

Fischer wrote of the Miami's potential trade package:

"Miami's ultimate willingness to surrender Kel'el Ware, given the Suns' noted hole at center, could be the true swing factor in the Heat's Durant pursuit. In February it was clear: Sources say Miami was unwilling at the trade deadline to part with either of its recent first-round draft successes: Ware or Jaime Jacquez Jr. Could that change now after Miami fell so flat in the playoffs with its post-Butler roster?"

Pros

• The Heat have the assets to put together arguably the most attractive trade offer for the Suns. This offer would consist of Wiggins, Ware, the No. 20 pick, as well as potential future draft capital, and either Robinson or more young players.

• Durant has expressed interest in playing for Miami in the past, and the Heat would retain Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo to pair alongside him.

• If the Suns were to land Ware and Wiggins, they would still field a highly competitive roster around Devin Booker and fill two positions of need.

Cons

• The Heat have a ton of holes and would be trading away some valuable assets to land Durant, so they would likely not make the jump to automatically being a contender with him, making it hard to see Miami as a true desirable destination for Durant.

• Do the Suns want to do business with the Heat and Pat Riley after the whole Jimmy Butler/Bradley Beal fiasco from this season?

• Getting Ware seems to be a make-or-break proposition from the Suns, so if the Heat are unwilling to include him, which would make a lot of sense, Phoenix would look elsewhere or try to make this into a multi-team deal to land a center.

Houston Rockets

Mar 30, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) and Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) fight for position in the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The Rockets have always made the most sense for any big trade involving the Suns ever since they acquired the Suns' first-rounders in 2025 and 2027, as well as swap rights in 2029, from the Nets in a trade last summer.

However, Houston's front office has seemingly made it clear that it is not really that interested in acquiring a player as old as Durant for a hefty price, even though Durant has a great relationship with head coach Ime Udoka and assistant Royal Ivey.

The Rockets are loaded with young talent and finished as the No. 2 seed in the West this season, but their lack of a true No. 1 option in the playoffs, which Durant would provide, shined through and they were eliminated in the first round by the Golden State Warriors.

Fischer reported, "things are obviously fluid at this stage, but the two teams most frequently cited as potential landing spots for Durant entering Saturday's business, league sources say, were Minnesota and Miami," not Houston.

He added later of Houston:

"Trading Durant to Houston is a theoretical means for the Suns to get some of (their) draft capital back. The Rockets know this and, as such, are believed to be willing to go only so far in a Durant deal. The presumption, then, is that Phoenix can probably find a more appealing return elsewhere."

A hypothetical offer from the Rockets would be the No. 10 pick (originally the Suns), the 2027 first-rounder, Dillon Brooks and a combination of young players (Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore or Reed Sheppard) and expiring contracts.

Pros

• If they want Durant, the Rockets could keep most of their core intact with a trade for him and become an instant contender.

• The Suns would get their draft capital back, as well as young players to develop.

Cons

• The Rockets do not seem interested in Durant at all and hold all of the leverage with control of Phoenix's draft picks.

• Phoenix would have to settle for a deal with the Rockets and can get better packages elsewhere.