According to NBA insiders Ramona Shelburne and Bobby Marks of ESPN, the Phoenix Suns have “rebuffed” trade offers for Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
The Suns are only 24-22 on the season despite having Durant, Booker and Bradley Beal.
“That won’t stop teams from calling to inquire about Durant’s availability,” Shelburne and Marks wrote. “Durant did not sign a one-year, $59.5 million extension in October, but there have been no warning signs that he will ask out. Teams that have called have thus far been rebuffed, league sources said. The Suns have also rebuffed teams bold enough to inquire about Booker, who is 100 points away from becoming the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. Booker has never given any indication he’d leave Phoenix in pursuit of a championship if this current construction doesn’t pan out, team sources said. He remains under contract through 2027-28.”
The Suns want to acquire Jimmy Butler, but the Miami Heat are not interested in trading for Beal, who has a no-trade clause in his contract.
Beal has no intention of waiving his no-trade clause before the NBA trade deadline.
“Brad worked really hard to earn a no-trade clause. We earned it and we have it — and it is really valuable,” Beal’s agent Mark Bartelstein told ESPN. “Does that mean that he would never, ever accept a trade? No. You always have an open mind and you always are willing to listen to things that you think might be great. But at this time, there’s nothing we’re considering. His entire energy and focus is on helping the Suns win. So all of this speculation that people keep writing about is really just people using their imagination.”
The Suns lost in the first round of the 2024 playoffs to the Minnesota Timberwolves in four games.
“The playoffs will again test Mat Ishbia’s resolve and whether he is willing to continue his unprecedented spending on an underachieving roster,” Shelburne and Marks wrote. “What will happen if Phoenix loses in the first round a third consecutive season? Or misses the playoffs entirely for the first time since 2020?”
Durant has played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets and Suns, Beal has played for the Washington Wizards and Suns and Booker has spent his entire NBA career in Phoenix.
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