Report: Mavericks, Bulls Were Interested In Trading For Suns’ Kevin Durant

According to NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, the Dallas Mavericks and Chicago Bulls were interested in trading for Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant. 

The Suns have made Durant untouchable in trade talks. 

In addition to the Rockets, Dallas and Chicago also have some level of interest in Kevin Durant, I’m hearing.

— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) June 26, 2024

The Houston Rockets were interested in trading for Durant too. 

Houston and Chicago missed the playoffs this year, while Dallas lost to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals in five games. 

According to NBA reporter Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic, the Suns are not looking to trade Durant, Devin Booker or Bradley Beal.  

Phoenix went 49-33 in 2023-24 but was swept in the first round of the 2024 playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves.  

Durant averaged 27.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.2 blocks in 2023-24. The two-time NBA champion will make $49.9 million next season.

Booker averaged 27.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.4 blocks. The Kentucky product will make $49.4 million next season.

Finally, Beal averaged 18.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks in his first season with the Suns. The veteran guard, who has a no-trade clause, will make $50.2 million next season. 

The Suns fired Frank Vogel after one season and hired Mike Budenholzer, who won the 2021 title with the Milwaukee Bucks against the Suns. 

Phoenix enters the offseason with $209 million in salary, the biggest payroll of any NBA team, and faces a projected luxury tax penalty of $116 million.

According to NBA reporters Shams Charania and Doug Haller of The Athletic, Durant never felt comfortable with his role in the Suns’ offense alongside Booker and Beal in 2023-24. 

“Meanwhile, Durant, among the best scorers in NBA history, was not always happy with how he was used,” Charania and Haller wrote. “Sources briefed on the matter told The Athletic that Durant never felt comfortable with his role in Phoenix’s offense alongside Booker and Beal this season. Those sources said Durant had persistent issues with the offense, feeling that he was being relegated to the corner far too often and not having the proper designs to play to his strengths as the offense was built around pick-and-rolls.

“At the same time, some teammates and people close to the organization believed Durant needed to voice his concerns more adamantly and directly with Vogel and his coaching staff.”