Report: Suns Admit They Made Mistake Not Involving Kevin Durant In Trade Talks At Trade Deadline

According to NBA insider Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Phoenix Suns admit they made a mistake not involving Kevin Durant in trade talks at the February trade deadline. 

Durant was shocked when he found out that the Suns were shopping him. The two-time Finals MVP was almost traded to the Golden State Warriors before he blocked the deal by letting it be known in league circles that he didn’t want to return to Golden State. 

“Privately, the Suns admit they made a mistake by not involving Durant earlier in the process,” Windhorst wrote. “They had hoped to keep the discussions closed, the way the Dallas Mavericks did with Luka Doncic, but when the Suns inevitably had to discuss scenarios with third teams to find a way to execute a deal, word leaked across the league. They appear to be trying a different approach going into the offseason. Rich Kleiman, Durant’s longtime agent and business partner, planned to travel to Phoenix this week for discussions with the organization, sources said. There are several concepts that will define how the potential trade discussions evolve.”

Durant and the Suns are expected to part ways this offseason. The future Hall of Famer has one year left on his contract. 

“Durant is a top-three name in this league,” one high-ranking NBA official said. “I can see a team who’d love to have him for a season just to sell tickets.”

Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Suns this season while shooting 52.7% from the field, 43.0% from beyond the arc and 83.9% from the free-throw line.

A two-time champion, Durant has career averages of 27.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Warriors, Brooklyn Nets and Suns. 

Sources told Hoops Wire that the Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat will attempt to trade for Durant this summer.