The Phoenix Suns attempted a covert Kevin Durant trade operation at the deadline, but it backfired when KD became aware and stomped out a potential Golden State Warriors reunion. Now the offseason arrives, and both sides are ready for a breakup.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst said he is "98 percent sure" Durant gets traded this offseason. While nothing is set in stone, Phoenix has reached the end of the road with this core. The Suns are too old, too expensive and far too thin to meaningfully compete.
With Devin Booker untouchable and Bradley Beal holding an ironclad no-trade clause, the only way for Phoenix to meaningfully alter the dynamics of this roster (and cap sheet) is to trade Durant. He's approaching the final year of his contract at 36 years old and presumably harbors a desire to contend. KD has expressed his affection for Phoenix time and time again, but that partnership is cooked — it's that simple.
Should the Suns look to trade Durant, the ideal return package involves at least one lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, not to mention future picks and rotation-level contributors. Phoenix is in a tough spot with Durant's age and contract situation, but he's still highly impactful and widely respected.
If the Suns can move into the lottery and add a new franchise cornerstone to grow alongside Booker, these are the names worth watching.
The pipe dreams: What if Suns move into the top three?
There has been enough Kevin Durant-Paul George trade buzz to at least mention this possibility. The idea of Philadelphia swapping George and the No. 3 pick for Durant is reasonable enough on paper, although it doesn't really help Phoenix financially, nor does it align with Daryl Morey's professed desire to inject youth into the Sixers rotation.
That said, going from three more years of Paul George on a max contract to KD's expiring contract — all while upping your championship odds in 2025 — could be enough for Morey to consider a zag.
If the Suns are so lucky as to get the No. 3 pick (San Antonio isn't giving up No. 2 for Durant, while Charlotte, Utah and Washington don't fit KD's timeline in this range), here are a few names the Suns should strongly consider.
1. Kon Knueppel, F, Duke (Fr.)
Kon Knueppel does not fit our traditional image of a top-3 pick — he's a sluggish, below-the-rim athlete with a negligible wingspan and not much appreciable flash to his skill set. A lot of fans (and NBA teams, frankly) will prefer the more explosive athletes, who represent a more traditional path to "upside."
That said, Knueppel is a 19-year-old wing with real size at 6-foot-7 and 219 pounds. He's the best shooter in the draft, an efficient finisher around the rim and a whip-smart connective playmaker. Duke let him run pick-and-rolls and carry the offense in brief stints without Cooper Flagg. Knueppel operates decisively and presents a ton of star indicators not related to raw athleticism. He can come in and play winning basketball right away next to Booker and, in this case, Paul George.
2. VJ Edgecombe, G, Baylor (Fr.)
Phoenix needs defense where it can get it. VJ Edgecombe figures to emerge as the most impactful perimeter defender from the 2025 draft. While his frame leaves something to be desired at 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-7 wingspan, Edgecombe is built strong and he's a one-percent athlete, which allows him to defend well above his means.
Edgecombe is a pest in passing lanes and a legitimate weak-side rim protector. He flies around with high intensity and operates with force. Offensively, he's a proficient spot-up shooter, a smart connective passer and an electric straight-line driver. He needs to develop his handle and his pull-up jumper to unlock his offensive ceiling, but Edgecombe has a strong complimentary skill set with the tools to reach stardom down the road. Pair him with Ryan Dunn defensively and reap the rewards.
3. Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers (Fr.)
Ace Bailey has actually received some errant Kevin Durant comps throughout the pre-draft process, but he's probably better compared to Michael Porter Jr. or Jaden McDaniels. Bailey is a comical shot-maker at 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot wingspan, but of those in consideration for the No. 3 pick, he probably has the furthest to go to reach stardom.
While finding dynamic shooters with Bailey's size, length and athleticism is difficult, he's a negative-value passer who doesn't always make full use of his tools defensively. Bailey rarely looks to involve his teammates in a meaningful way and his handle is too loose to consistently create advantages or get to the rim. He's extremely reliant on contested jumpers. Phoenix can take him as a KD/Paul George facsimile, but he's not the best outcome here.
The mid-to-late lottery picks Phoenix can realistically target
What if the Suns trade Durant to New Orleans (No. 7), Houston (No. 10) or San Antonio (No. 14)? Those feel like the most probable destinations, unless a gutsy, high-spending contender like Dallas or Minnesota decides to stretch above their means. While the Suns probably won't end up with a tippity-top tier of prospect, these options should be more than sufficient as Phoenix looks to begin anew.
1. Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina (So.)
The No. 3 prospect on my final board, I'd endorse CMB in the tier above, only it's clear his perception leaguewide is a bit lower. That means Phoenix can feasibly get him in that 7-to-14 range, which is all the more exciting. This is probably the dream for Phoenix if Durant's return package is built around a lottery pick.
As a 19-year-old sophomore on a bad South Carolina roster, Murray-Boyles was among the most productive and impactful two-way stars in college basketball. He's a unique prospect, listed 6-foot-7 in shoes with a 7-foot-1 wingspan and a stout, 231-pound frame, but Murray-Boyles transcends the oddity of his profile.
No, he's not really a shooter, but Murray-Boyles is an elite finisher around the basket. He's strong enough to bully mismatches on the block or drive through the chest of just about any defender. On defense, he's a five-position chameleon with sticky hands and a red-hot motor. Murray-Boyles' outlier traits outweigh the negative quirks. He can anchor Phoenix's defense and be the culture-setter the Suns so desperately need.
2. Noa Essengue, F, Ratiopharm Ulm (2006)
Noa Essengue, the 18-year-old wing from France, is the second-youngest player in the draft, just three days older than Flagg. Phoenix probably wants a more ready-made talent, but in his defense, Essengue has been productive for a top club in Germany, ramping up his production in the playoffs.
At 6-foot-9 with a 9-foot-3 standing reach, Essengue is a long-limbed free safety with an incredible defensive ceiling. He needs to get more consistent from 3-point range on offense, but his off-ball instincts, straight-line athleticism and underrated feel for the game give him an impressive baseline. Essengue will clean up on lobs, cuts and transition dunks while the rest of his game incubates.
3. Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma (Fr.)
Much is made of Phoenix's need for a point guard, which baffles me slightly considering the ongoing presence of Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, two expensive guards who are limited on defense and more than capable of setting the table on offense. The Tyus Jones experiment didn't exactly yield a championship, so in reality, Phoenix's interests should probably lie elsewhere.
That said, Fears is a worthy upside swing on the perimeter. Beal is no longer part of the Suns' long-term plans and Fears is a tremendous fit — on paper — next to Booker. The 6-foot-4 freshman needs to boost his efficiency and speed up his decision-making, but Fears is a ball-handling blur, capable of generating advantages at will and getting two feet in the paint on a regular basis. He plays physical through contact and draws plenty of fouls, which is a strong star indicator.
4. Khaman Maluach, C, Duke (Fr.)
Phoenix's gaping void at center is well-documented. While there are maybe better prospects on the board, Khaman Maluach deserves serious consideration — and his ceiling rises as high as anyone in the draft not named Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper. He's 7-foot-2 with a 7-foot-7 wingspan, blessed with impressive mobility out in space. While he was not the most fine-tuned rim protector at Duke, Maluach will deter drives and he has extensive room to grow. He's still relatively new to basketball.
On the offensive end, Maluach can eat in space in the paint, catch lobs and vacuum up offensive rebounds. He's still learning the ropes when it comes to passing or scoring beyond arm's length of the rim, but Maluach hit 76.6 percent of his free throws and made the occasional mid-range jumper at lower levels of competition. At 18, he's at the very beginning of his developmental arc.
5. Thomas Sorber, C, Georgetown (Fr.)
A foot injury cut Thomas Sorber's freshman season in half, but he's another center worth looking into for Phoenix. At 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan, Sorber offers prototypical tools for a rim-protecting big. He spends the majority of his time in drop coverage, but Sorber is mobile and active enough to guard up in space and handle the occasional switch.
As for the offensive end, there's a bit more meat on the bone here. Maluach is far more efficient at the rim, but Sorber has a deep bag of tricks in the post and he's a tremendous short roll passer, with vision and feel you don't commonly find in 19-year-old centers. If Sorber can extend his range out to the 3-point line and operate with more force at the rim, he could be exactly what the doctor ordered for this Phoenix frontcourt.
NBA news roundup:
- The Los Angeles Clippers are expected to show interest in Boston's Jrue Holiday, per MassLive's Brian Robb. It's unclear if the Clippers can afford another aging star, but Holiday's relentless defense and well-rounded complementary skill set has earned him fans all around the league.
- New York punched back in Game 5, thwacking the Pacers 111-94 and holding Tyrese Haliburton to eight points on 2-of-7 shooting. It's way too early to panic for Pacers fans, but things can change on a dime in the NBA. A loss at home in Game 6 would return home court advantage to the Knicks for Game 7.
- Jonathan Kuminga has "visions" of being an All-Star and averaging more than 20 points per game, per The Athletic's Anthony Slater. That complicates his future in Golden State ahead of restricted free agency.