Phoenix Suns expect to part ways with Kevin Durant this offseason. Could the Spurs be a good landing place?

[mo7888]

yeah i have about 85% confidence that Houston will land KD. makes sense on all fronts. he goes to a team capable of competing. its a team that needs to consolidate some and needs a go-to alpha scorer. and they own the Suns picks

It makes sense, but the big question is 'how much do they have to give up to get him'?

[baseline bum]

It makes sense, but the big question is 'how much do they have to give up to get him'?

I'm guessing it'll be one of the following two packages:

PACKAGE 1: VanVleet + cancel 2025 swap + return 2027 PHX first + cancel 2029 swap

PACKAGE 2: Green + Landale + Aaron Holiday + cancel 2025 swap + return 2027 PHX first + cancel 2029 swap

Can't really do anything centered around Green + Brooks since Phoenix needs to cut $3 million or more from payroll in this trade to get under the second apron.

[baseline bum]

Personally I find both of those too much to give up for KD when the Suns are bent over a barrel here

[dn0774]

What would the framework of a trade look like if both Booker and KD were sent to the Rockets? Do the Rockets even have enough tradeable salary to send out?

[baseline bum]

What would the framework of a trade look like if both Booker and KD were sent to the Rockets? Do the Rockets even have enough tradeable salary to send out?

Would have to be two separate trades since Phoenix can't aggregate salaries. So VanVleet plus the picks/swaps for Booker then Jalen Green, Tari Eason, and Reed Sheppard for Durant maybe?

[djohn2oo8]

Personally I find both of those too much to give up for KD when the Suns are bent over a barrel here

It’s close. I think they might get one pick or swap back but that’s it. The return isn’t going to be much.

[djohn2oo8]

Would have to be two separate trades since Phoenix can't aggregate salaries. So VanVleet plus the picks/swaps for Booker then Jalen Green, Tari Eason, and Reed Sheppard for Durant maybe?

Yep that’s it

[tbdog]

I don't foresee Durant getting much in trade value. He is just too old to throw the sink at. I'm talking like one youth starter material and two protected picks type stuff

[mo7888]

Personally I find both of those too much to give up for KD when the Suns are bent over a barrel here

Agreed. I wouldn't give up that much either for an aging KD. I kinda hope they do though..

[Ice009]

It’s close. I think they might get one pick or swap back but that’s it. The return isn’t going to be much.

I was about to post this very thing. There is NO WAY they're getting back all three picks for Durant. If it was for Devin Booker, yes, but not for KD. They'll be lucky if they get more than one of those picks back (likely just the outright and maybe one of the swaps if they're lucky). It's likely that Houston instead will trade them a veteran or two and a promising young player such as Green.

[Chillen]

Both Booker and Durant wanted Beal and it looks like that trade will be the catalyst in breaking this duo up. No one wants Beal so they have to explore trades for KD because they are in salary cap . Ishbia has good intentions but whoever advised him the Beal trade was a good idea should be fired asap.

[BatManu20]

[exstatic]

Good. He’s never proven to do anything as “the man”, and the trade will likely thin their roster and rotation.

[djohn2oo8]

Good. He’s never proven to do anything as “the man”, and the trade will likely thin their roster and rotation.

Any such trade for Durant will not be substantial in players sent or picks

[exstatic]

Any such trade for Durant will not be substantial in players sent or picks

Suns are a second apron team, so it may not be as easy as you think. I tried FVV and Jabari,and it rejected it. Second apron teams can’t accept even $1 over what they send out. They also cannot aggregate players, making it more complicated.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Suns are a second apron team, so it may not be as easy as you think. I tried FVV and Jabari,and it rejected it. Second apron teams can’t accept even $1 over what they send out. They also cannot aggregate players, making it more complicated.

Suns aren't a second apron team as of July 1st. If there's a trade to be made that's beneficial the technicalities won't be a problem. Something like Van Vleet, Tari Eason and picks for Durant works but there are a ton of other possibilities.

[baseline bum]

Suns are a second apron team, so it may not be as easy as you think. I tried FVV and Jabari,and it rejected it. Second apron teams can’t accept even $1 over what they send out. They also cannot aggregate players, making it more complicated.

Suns also really need to cut at least $3 million of salary in a Durant trade to slide just under the second apron for 25-26.

[baseline bum]

Suns aren't a second apron team as of July 1st. If there's a trade to be made that's beneficial the technicalities won't be a problem. Something like Van Vleet, Tari Eason and picks for Durant works but there are a ton of other possibilities.

Nah they'll be over the second apron by almost $3 million on July 1st.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Nah they'll be over the second apron by almost $3 million on July 1st.

How?

They have 7 players under contract - Durant, Booker, Beal, Allen, O'Neale, Dunn, Ighodaro for around $193 mil total. Cody Martin and Nick Richards are fully unguaranteed and Micic is a team option.

Then add the cap hold for their late first and roster charges and they'll be below the projected 2nd apron of $208 mil.

[baseline bum]

How?

They have 7 players under contract - Durant, Booker, Beal, Allen, O'Neale, Dunn, Ighodaro for around $193 mil total. Cody Martin and Nick Richards are fully unguaranteed and Micic is a team option.

Then add the cap hold for their late first and roster charges and they'll be below the projected 2nd apron of $208 mil.

Nice, didn't know Richards and Martin were unguaranteed. That would put them around $11M under the tax then.

[mo7888]

Nice, didn't know Richards and Martin were unguaranteed. That would put them around $11M under the tax then.

Do they have to renounce the unguaranteed contracts to be considered under? Do bird rights come into play here?

[baseline bum]

Do they have to renounce the unguaranteed contracts to be considered under? Do bird rights come into play here?

I'd imagine so.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Do they have to renounce the unguaranteed contracts to be considered under? Do bird rights come into play here?

Richards's contract is fully guaranteed on 6/29/25 and Martin's on 6/30/25, so they'd have to waive them before that.

Of course there are other ways - they can guarantee their contracts and trade them, or they could guarantee them and keep them if they think they can work the 2nd apron by doing another trade, say Allen or O'Neale. They're in a bad place but they have some options.

[thOOdee]

https://x.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1927407362882621523

[rjv]

i'm not even going to speculate. experience tells me that the spurs will stay true to what they are stating publicly and won't do anything crazy but i guess i have to remain open to the idea that crazy things can happen, even with SA. so, i'm just going to see how things play out, starting with the draft.