By Melissa RohlinFOX Sports NBA Writer
Hours before NBA free agency began, Kevin Durant turned the league on its head by reportedly asking to be traded from the Brooklyn Nets, a move that suddenly made one of the NBA’s top five players available.
Now many – if not all – of the 29 other teams in the league are scrambling to find a viable trade package to potentially acquire the two-time champion, 12-time All-Star, two-time Finals MVP and former league MVP .
But there’s one place it makes the most sense for him to land: Phoenix.
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Can you imagine Durant starring alongside Chris Paul and Devin Booker? Durant’s suppleness, athleticism, and size would perfectly complement Paul’s playing ability and Booker’s shooting ability. Durant has played with both, winning gold medals for Team USA in 2012 with Paul and 2020 with Booker.
Not to mention, Durant has a close relationship with Suns coach Monty Williams, who was the Oklahoma City Thunder’s assistant head coach in 2015-16. Durant fought back tears when Williams’ wife Ingrid died in a car accident in 2016, saying, “I just love Coach Monty so much, man.” They’ve been vocal in support of one another for the past six years.
Durant clearly sees the appeal of joining the Suns as he reportedly cited Phoenix and Miami as his preferred travel destinations, and the best part is the Suns have the resources to pull off a deal.
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The Suns soured their relationship with free-agent center Deandre Ayton by not offering him a five-year extension and a maximum of $172.5 million in October. Now that Ayton is a restricted free agent, they could use him as the centerpiece in a sign-and-trade for Durant.
They could also include Mikal Bridges in their offer. One of the top 3-and-D players in the league, Bridges recently signed a $91 million four-year extension with the Suns. And if that’s still not enough, the Suns have the opportunity to sweeten the deal with a talented role player like Jae Crowder, Landry Shamet, Dario Saric, Cam Payne, Cam Johnson or Torrey Craig.
It makes so much sense for both parties. The Suns would become instant title contenders this year after a disappointing flameout in the second round of the playoffs. The Nets would attract some incredible young talent to surround Ben Simmons, himself a young star.
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As for Durant, every step he’s taken in the NBA has been subjected to endless scrutiny. When he left Oklahoma City for the Golden State in 2016, he was accused of being a sellout. (When he first played in OKC that season, he was heavily booed and didn’t get a tribute video.) He was mocked for leaving Golden State for the Nets in 2019, especially after the Warriors won a championship that season.
But after showing loyalty to the Nets over the past three seasons, Durant has earned the right to make that choice. He has been the pillar of the Nets’ consistency amid unrest including Kyrie Irving, who played just 29 games because he refused to get vaccinated, and James Harden, who forced a move to the 76ers in February. Durant, on the other hand, poured his heart out on the court night after night, averaging 29.9 points and 7.4 rebounds last season.
Despite his Herculean efforts, the Nets, who had started the season as title favorites, flared up in the first round of the playoffs. It makes sense that Durant would be disillusioned with the team. And it’s time for him to go.
The 33-year-old is under contract until 2025-26 after signing a four-year extension for $198m in 2021. Essentially, if the Suns took him on, they would have a superstar for the remainder of his prime who could take a significant toll on Paul, 37, as he enters the twilight of his career. Maybe Durant could even help Paul finally win a championship.
This move would not be a Durant jumpship to an already established dynasty. It wouldn’t be him joining forces with Irving and Harden to create a hypothetical super team that never reached its potential. Should Durant find his way to the Suns, the move would be a bit unspectacular, but oh right.
What’s special about Durant is that he loves basketball more than anything else in the world. This makes him a perfect fit for the Suns, who are concerned with building a culture of appreciation for the game. One of Williams’ favorite mottos is “basketball is a goal, not a goal.”
If Durant has made one thing abundantly clear, it’s that he shares the same credo.
Durant playing the last prime years of his career for a small market team that has never won a championship would be a nice twist. He was able to avoid the distractions and pitfalls of a larger city and focus on what matters most to him. He could help teach Paul and Booker what it takes to go all the way. Finally he could find his home.
After bringing so much joy to so many who love the sport, we hope Durant finds his happy place.
And I guess that’s in the desert.
Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She has previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter at @melissarohlin.
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