Several teams are in the mix for Phoenix Suns All-Star Kevin Durant, who is on the trade block after another disappointing season in the desert. That said, we now know KD's preferred destinations, which could make all the difference.
Durant will commit long term to three teams, per ESPN's Shams Charania: the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets.
The Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets are 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant's preferred trade destinations out of Phoenix, sources tell ESPN. Those across the NBA have been made aware in recent days that those are the three teams that Durant would commit to long-term. pic.twitter.com/Hqn5hDaWxC
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 15, 2025
From the beginning, it has been reported that Phoenix will work with Durant's representatives to find an amicable resolution this summer. Moreover, teams aren't going to sell the farm without Durant's commitment beyond next season, so it's difficult to imagine the likes of Minnesota, Toronto or New York putting together the necessary assets to win a bidding war.
While there is merit to all three teams on KD's list, it will come down to which offer the Suns feel is best. It's unclear what exactly is guiding Mat Ishbia's decision-making these days, but the Phoenix owner clearly wants to win games. He isn't going to settle for a bunch of draft picks and zero day-one contributors.
Durant is 36 years old, so the Suns can't expect the haul we've seen for players like Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert or even Mikal Bridges in recent years. That said, he is still Kevin Durant, and his arrival would elevate Houston, San Antonio or Miami to a new plane of contention. Let's dive into a few logical trade packages.
Subscribe to The Whiteboard, FanSided's daily email newsletter on everything basketball. If you like The Whiteboard, share it with a friend. If you hate it, share it with an enemy!
Here's what the Suns can get from the Heat for Kevin Durant
Suns receive: Andrew Wiggins, Duncan Robinson, Kel'el Ware, 2025 first-round pick (No. 20), 2029 first-round pick (unprotected)
Heat receive: Kevin Durant
Frankly, I'm not convinced Miami is a true threat to land KD. Their asset pool is much smaller than what Houston and San Antonio can offer. Moreover, the Spurs and Rockets are ascendant, while the Heat feel stuck in the mud after the Jimmy Butler trade.
Durant, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro is definitely a competitive core, and the East is wide open next season. We also know Erik Spoelstra is a wizard on the sidelines and Pat Riley will never so much as think about tanking, so Miami's interest is understandable. But even in Durant's shoes, one has to wonder what the appeal is beyond a chance to finish his career in a sunny locale like South Beach.
From Phoenix's standpoint, this offer feels like the best-case scenario. All the salaries match. Andrew Wiggins provides a stout defender and a competent play-finisher in Durant's place. Duncan Robinson is a big, expiring contract that can be flipped in another trade down the line. In the meantime, he can fly around and bomb 3s, giving Phoenix another high-gravity shooter next to Devin Booker. Kel'el Ware has the potential to emerge as the Suns' long-awaited franchise center. A couple first-round picks, including No. 20 in a couple weeks, gives Phoenix greater flexibility and youth moving forward.
Here's what the Suns can get from the Rockets for Kevin Durant
Suns receive: Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore, Aaron Holiday, 2027 first-round pick (via PHX)
Rockets receive: Kevin Durant
Again, Houston just has better pieces to offer than Miami, unless the Heat think it prudent to include Bam Adebayo or Tyler Herro, of which I am skeptical. The Rockets can essentially keep their best assets — Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Tari Eason — and still stuff Phoenix's pockets with quality young talent.
Jalen Green is a polarizing figure, but he's still a 100th-percentile athlete and, more importantly, he's 23 years old, which is far too young to give up on. The Suns can get 20 points per game from Green without issue, while hoping that he develops more winning habits under the tutelage of Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
Jabari Smith Jr. gives Phoenix a rangy defender and a proficient spot-up shooter in the frontcourt. Cam Whitmore didn't get much burn in his second NBA season, but he's a lottery talent with incredible upside as a slasher and multi-positional wing defender. Phoenix can give him a much longer leash. Aaron Holiday is salary filler, but also a nice backup point guard option.
In addition to a potpourri of interesting young players, the Suns receive their own first-round pick in 2027, which gives the front office more optionality in the future if things continue to devolve over the next couple seasons.
Here's what the Suns can get from the Spurs for Kevin Durant
Suns receive: Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, Harrison Barnes, 2025 first-round pick (No. 14), 2027 first-round pick (via ATL)
Spurs receive: Kevin Durant
The Spurs can at least challenge Houston in terms of assets, especially if the Rockets are hesitant to involve Phoenix's own picks in the exchange. The Rockets won't give up their very best prospects. Neither will the Spurs, with Stephon Castle likely off the table and the No. 2 overall pick out of the question.
That said, San Antonio can give Phoenix a proficient shot-making wing in Devin Vassell, who's locked up on an affordable contract through 2028. Harrison Barnes is a valuable expiring contract and a potential trade chip, should Phoenix swing another move in the future. Jeremy Sochan is approaching unrestricted free agency and feels like a valuable two-way force for a team like Phoenix. His poor shooting made fit a complicated issue in San Antonio, but the Suns can surround Sochan with more shooting, allowing him to flourish as a downhill slasher and connective playmaker on the wing.
The Spurs are probably the best fit for Durant, on paper. Victor Wembanyama is already approaching MVP territory. KD would be smart to hitch his wagon to such a massive rising star in the final years of his career. Meanwhile, De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle both pressure the rim and create advantages inside the arc. What the Spurs lack is shooting. Durant is among the best, more versatile shooters in the NBA. He can feast on set-ups from Fox and Castle, while also giving San Antonio its bailout shot-maker in clutch situations.
It's hard to win in the West right now, but the Spurs with Durant feel like a complete vision of success in the NBA — even if it's only for a few years until KD retires and Wemby takes center stage.