League observers have continued to speculate about possible trades involving the Phoenix Suns despite the team’s insistence that it will not disband its Big Three.
Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report has put forth a plan to trade Kevin Durant for three depth pieces, a future star, and draft capital, among other things.
In exchange for Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, and Kevon Looney, the Phoenix Suns will get a first-round pick in 2025.
Kevin Durant is on his way to the Golden State Warriors.
“Though he is entering his age-36 season, this deal would provide the Suns with immediate three-and-D support from Wiggins, a more affordable center option than Jusuf Nurkić, a possible star in Kuminga, financial savings, and real draft equity,” Hughes said.
The Suns can only rebuild a Western Conference-caliber squad by trading one of their stars for depth and recovering draft money, since they are a second-apron club.
Ԁue tо Һis pricey Ԁeаl аnԀ Ԁismаl perfоrmаnce tҺis seаsоn, BrаԀley Beаl’s trаԀe vаlue Һаs Һit rоck bоttоm. аmоng tҺe Suns’ tҺree superstаrs, Ԁevin Bооker wоulԀ prоbаbly fetcҺ tҺe ҺigҺest price, but Һe’s аlsо tҺe yоungest аnԀ rigҺt nоw аt Һis prime.
Ultimately, Durant represents their most valuable trade commodity. The Suns will never get their four first-round picks back because of Durant’s age. However, if they want to improve next season and foster a future dynamic duo of Kuminga and Booker, they should reduce their losses without rebuilding.
Kevιn Ԁurаnt Rejects Rumоr оf а “Lebrоn Mоve”A fan suggested that Durant return to the Oklahoma City Thunder and leave the Suns for good, but Durant turned down the suggestion.
If KD wants to redeem himself, he needs to win a championship with the Thunder. That’s his only chance. Step it up like LeBron. In that case, he will have his sins absolved. Are we fine? The supporter wrote on X, the former Twitter, “@KDTrey5”.
“You ain’t God,” Durant commented with a chuckle. Prepare yourself for work.
After winning two titles with the Miami Heat, LeBron James made a triumphant comeback to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014. The Cavaliers were prepared to compete when LeBron James returned with Kyrie Irving and the trade of Andrew Wiggins for Kevin Love. Going all the way to the NBA Finals for three years in a row, they finally broke through in 2016 with a stunning 3-1 comeback victory over the Warriors, giving the city its first championship.
Because he is determined to succeed in Phoenix, Durant has no intention of doing that.
Suns Bring in New Coaching StaffThere is a salary constraint that prevents the Suns from adding to their coaching staff, but they are limited in rearranging their roster.
Following Frank Vogel’s dismissal from the Suns after only one year on the job, the team signed Mike Budenholzer to a five-year, $50 million contract. Budenholzer was a previous NBA champion.
And then they brought on David Fizdale, a former NBA head coach who had been working as an executive for Utah, to work under Budenholzer. In addition to Fizdale, the Suns were able to secure the services of Chad Forcier, who had been an assistant coach for the 2021 NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks under Budenholzer.
Another NBA insider, Marc Stein, claims that they reached out to Darvin Ham, the recently dismissed coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, in an effort to get him to work with Budenholzer again.
However, in the end, Ham chose to go back to Milwaukee and take a position as top deputy under Doc Rivers.
Mike Hоpkins, a fоrmer head cоach at the University оf Washingtоn, was repоrtedly the Suns’ new additiоn after ESPN’s Adrian Wоjnarоwski repоrted the stоry.
Hopkins won two Pac-12 Coach of the Year awards and oversaw the Huskies to a 122-110(.526) record, which included a conference championship in 2019 and a trip to the NCAA tournament.