Two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant is under contract with the Phoenix Suns through the 2025-26 season after they acquired him in a blockbuster trade from the Brooklyn Nets early in 2023.
At 35 years old, it’s not yet known how much longer Durant is going to be doing his thing on the hardwood. Injuries have caught up to him to an extent, limiting his ability to see the court in recent years.
Despite this, KD is still going strong when he actually suits up. For one of the world’s most recognizable basketball figures, closing out his career strong has to be seen as a major goal.
It just might not be in the NBA. Durant’s former teammate, Edmond Sumner, just recently relayed what KD has told people behind the scenes. It’s pretty darn shocking in the grand scheme of things. Moving overseas to finish up his career in Europe.
“He might pop up, man. I like KD. He was a great teammate and a great person. Hopefully, he gets here. He always says when he’s done with the NBA, he wants to come over here and play,” Sumner told Jonas Leksas of BasketNews.com.
Sumner is currently playing with Žalgiris Kaunas of the Lithuanian Basketball League and the EuroLeague. He was Durant’s teammate with the Brooklyn Nets for part of the 2022-23 season. Whether the veteran has a ton of insight into KD’s internal thinking remains to be seen.
But it must be noted that this is not the first time talk of Durant taking his skills overseas has come up. KD had previously noted that he’d like to play his final season with FC Barcelona in the EuroLeague.
“I would like to play my last year at Barca, the EuroLeague is the second-best league in the world,” Kevin Durant said back in 2019.
Kevin Durant stats (2023-24): 31.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.8 APG, 51% shooting
For Durant, it might be all about what he accomplishes during the remainder of his contract with Phoenix. The future first ballot Hall of Famer forced his way to the desert to team up with Devin Booker and build a contender with the Suns. Once they acquired Bradley Beal in a blockbuster trade this past summer, most believed a super team had been created.
Since then, this trio has played in all of one game together. Beal is currently sidelined with a worrisome back injury. Phoenix heads into Tuesday night’s Play-In Tournament outing against the Los Angeles Lakers with a pedestrian 12-8 record.
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As we have known for some time, Durant cares about the perception he has around the basketball world. Despite his status as one of the greatest NBA players of all-time, said perception includes the belief that he can’t win the big one without Stephen Curry. Short of that happening, we don’t envision a move to Europe.