The owner of the Phoenix Suns indirectly added more fuel to recent speculation that Kevin Durant will be on the trade block this summer.
The 2024-25 edition of the Phoenix Suns has been one of the league’s biggest disappointments this season. After winning 49 games last season in their first full campaign with future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant, the team would be lucky if they win 40 this year. Also, if the season ended today they would miss the 2025 NBA playoffs.
The Suns feature Durant, fellow superstar Devin Booker, and three-time All-Star Bradley Beal. The hope was that their surprising first-round ouster from last year’s postseason could be remedied by a head coach change to a man who has won it all before, in Mike Budenholzer. Yet, they are worse this season with the former Milwaukee Bucks head coach.
It leaves one very clear plan for the offseason. Phoenix must break up this team and start trading some of their better players. However, Beal owns one of the worst contracts in the game, and it includes a trade clause. Getting his trade approval has proven difficult. That means Durant or Booker likely could be moved to better round out the roster next season.
Durant was nearly moved before this year’s NBA trade deadline, and rumors have persisted he could be shipped out of Arizona this summer. This week, the team’s owner, Matt Ishbia, added fuel to that speculation when speaking about homegrown star Devin Booker.
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Phoenix Suns view Devin Booker as a trade untouchable
“Never happen,” Ishbia told ESPN when asked about trade interest in Booker. “It’s silly. So here’s what I’ll tell you: I have Devin Booker in the prime. In order to win an NBA championship, you have to have a superstar. You’ve got to have a great player.”
That sends a pretty clear message that Durant will be the odd man out this summer. If Beal only had one year left on his deal, it might make a trade a bit more possible. However, he is owed $53 million next season and has a $57 million player option for 2026-27. Which he is sure to opt into.
The Golden State Warriors were close on completing a deal for Kevin Durant last month. However, the 15-time All-Star turned down he opportunity to return to the Bay Area.
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