With less than a week until the 2025 NBA Draft, Kevin Durant remains a member of the Phoenix Suns. There was a real sense that Phoenix would trade Durant before draft night, but recent developments have cast doubt upon when — or even if — the Suns will execute a deal.
It's clear the Suns want to trade Durant, but the market has not materialized as expected. Teams on Durant's wishlist, such as San Antonio and Houston, are unwilling to sell the farm for a 36-year-old. Teams with a more pressing desire to acquire KD, like Minnesota and Toronto, are hamstrung by his unwillingness to sign an extension.
This was all rather predictable. For all his immense talent, Durant is a distressed asset. He comes with a short window for success, whether or not he agrees to stick around his new clubhouse beyond 2026. Teams just aren't going to clean out their draft stores or blow up young cores for a player with such a limited future.
On the other hand, while it's fun to lampoon Phoenix's front office and question Mat Ishbia's decision-making, the Suns are right not to sell too low. Durant was still a top-10 player in the league last season and his presence instantly changes the complexion of any team. Even if he's a rental, Durant's value should equate to a significant trade haul — if not quite on the level of the four first-round picks Memphis recently acquired for 26-year-old Desmond Bane.
Here is one player from each KD trade suitor that Phoenix should set its sights on.
Toronto Raptors — Gradey Dick
Any Toronto Raptors package probably starts with RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. Jakob Poeltl also makes a great deal of sense for Phoenix given their need for a reliable defensive anchor, although Toronto appears reluctant to include him. That said, if the Suns should get hung up on a single player, it's 2023 lottery pick Gradey Dick.
After a muted rookie season, Dick broke out as a sophomore, averaging 14.4 points on .410/.350/.858 splits. With tremendous size and shooting ability on the wing, Dick has a chance to develop into a prime complementary piece next to an offensive centerpiece like Devin Booker.
While he's known for his perimeter shot-making, Dick is more than a specialist. He's an underrated athlete, comfortable attacking closeouts and gliding through the lane for acrobatic finishes. He processes the floor quickly, moves with a purpose, and does the small things to connect dots offensively.
Minnesota Timberwolves — Rob Dillingham
Presumably any trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves starts with Rudy Gobert, which would address the Suns' ongoing lack of rim protection. While he's not the sexiest All-Star, Gobert is a game-changer. He alters the geometry of the court and immediately elevates any scheme he participates in.
Phoenix's interest should hinge on Rob Dillingham, however. His immediate fit with the Suns is a bit murky — a small point guard may struggle to carve out consistent minutes behind Booker and Bradley Beal — but long term, he's a tremendous talent with a lot to offer as Phoenix considers its future beyond this (very flawed) core.
Dillingham's defense will always be a limiting factor in the NBA, but he's a nutty shot-maker with jitterbug handles and a high feel for the game. Whipping passes out of pick-and-rolls and scaling effortlessly between on and off-ball duties, Dillingham should have a long future in the NBA. There aren't too many guard prospects with his blend of creativity, advantage creation and shooting touch.
Miami Heat — Kel'el Ware
The Miami Heat appear to be the most motivated and least qualified of the KD trade suitors. With Miami at such a crossroads post-Jimmy Butler, it's fair to wonder if trading for an aging Durant is the right use of resources. It's also fair to wonder what exactly Miami has to offer to compared to the other teams on this list. The Heat don't have an endless supply of draft capital, much less a compelling collection of young, ascendant players.
If there's one current Heat member worth pining for in Phoenix, it is Kel'el Ware. He stood out from a weak rookie class, quickly working his way up the ladder to starting reps in Miami. There are still valid questions about Ware's defensive fundamentals and the efficacy of his all-around game, but it's rare to find 7-footers with his blend of athleticism and skill.
Ware hit 31.5 percent of his 3s as a rookie. It's fair to project that he will operate as at least a league average spot-up threat in the years to come. He's also an impactful vertical threat at the rim, with a gaping catch radius and remarkable midair dexterity. Is Ware a flashy shot-blocker or an actual defensive anchor? Will he space the floor and create off the dribble, or is he best limited to catch and shoot (or catch and dunk) situations? These are questions Phoenix can investigate further with Ware on the roster.
Houston Rockets — Reed Sheppard
The Houston Rockets aren't letting go of Alperen Sengun or Amen Thompson, so we can put that to bed. That said, there isn't a more robust collection of young talent in the NBA right now. The Rockets are certainly equipped with the best collection of assets for a potential Durant trade.
While there's a case for focusing on frontcourt depth and athleticism, like Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason, the sticking point should probably be Reed Sheppard. The reigning No. 3 pick barely played as a rookie, so there's still an unproven element to his NBA profile. That is why now is the time to strike, because once Sheppard sees the floor on a regular basis, his value is bound to skyrocket.
Of all the non-Sengun and non-Thompson youths on Houston's roster, Sheppard feels like the clearest star bet. The Suns need to find foundational pieces in KD's place. Sheppard is a smaller guard, but he was a defensive wunderkind at Kentucky, constantly blowing up passing lanes and deploying his underrated athleticism to derail shot attempts all over the floor. He's also the greatest shooting prospect in modern history. Adding a high-feel sharpshooter with nascent point guard skills and a ballistic approach to defense is a very, very smart bet.
San Antonio Spurs — Stephon Castle
Stephon Castle ran away with Rookie of the Year in a weak draft class (although #realones know Zaccharie Risacher was a commendable challenger). Since he put up numbers on a tanking team and was rewarded with a shiny trophy, the value of Castle in NBA circles seems to far exceed his, like, actual value.
This isn't to say Castle is bad. He's a dogged defender, a slippery driver and a solid connective playmaker, with scoring upside beyond what we saw at UConn. But he's also a non-spacer on the perimeter who benefitted from an uncommon freedom after Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox got hurt. Castle has a long way to go before he's scoring on high volume and high efficiency, and his fit with the San Antonio Spurs remains complicated — especially with Dylan Harper coming down the pipeline.
And, it's precisely because of Harper's looming arrival that San Antonio should at least consider parting ways with Castle. He is not the untouchable two-way force certain corners of the basketball fandom paint him as. The Suns should gladly invest in his development alongside Devin Booker in the backcourt, but viewing Castle as a future star, rather than a stellar complementary piece in vein of Warriors era Andre Iguodala, could lead someone (or some team) astray. It's Kevin Durant. I'm not sure Castle is a dealbreaker when Wemby, Fox and (soon to be) Harper are on your team.