The Phoenix Suns were ready to let go of Kevin Durant at the trade deadline for the 2024–25 NBA season. Durant was almost traded to the Golden State Warriors to get Jimmy Butler. The agreement fell through because KD didn’t want to deal with a midseason relocation. Even though the transfer never happened, the effort harmed the superstar’s relationship with the organization.
With the season almost over, the level of uncertainty about whether Durant will return to Phoenix has increased. He’s still under contract until the 2025-26 season but many believe he’ll demand a trade out of the Suns franchise.
On Friday, ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel revealed that there was another team interested in acquiring Durant. According to Siegel’s article, the Atlanta Hawks “tried hard” to pursue the two-time champion during the trade deadline.
“One surprise team that pursued Durant hard at the trade deadline with other teams making calls to Phoenix was the Atlanta Hawks, sources said,” Siegel wrote. “The Hawks, who were also in trade discussions with the New Orleans Pelicans on a deal centered around Brandon Ingram before he was traded to the Toronto Raptors, have been searching for another star to play alongside Trae Young.
“Could the Hawks take a massive gamble on Durant in the final year of his contract to try and figure things out quickly around Young? With Clint Capela becoming a free agent and likely departing, along with other players on expiring contracts, it’s unlikely that Atlanta has the assets and money to make a trade for Durant,” he added.
While Taylor Jenkins being fired is the talk of today, league personnel have already turned their attention to what will be a busy offseason with cap figures increasing.
My latest on @ClutchPoints diving into the latest free agency and trade intel: https://t.co/JFUs4oD0C0
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) March 28, 2025
Durant never asked for a trade. However, the Suns want to free up some cap space to sign capable players who could help Booker and the team contend.
Kevin Durant’s recent injury puts the Suns’ season in jeopardy
According to Tankathon, there are only seven games left in the Suns’ season. The team is making a final push to make things work and possibly be in the Play-In Tournament to secure a spot in the Playoffs. However, Kevin Durant suffered a sprained left ankle on Sunday’s 148-109 loss against the Houston Rockets.
Following the game, head coach Mike Budenholzer said that Durant will remain in Phoenix to undergo an MRI while the team will have a three-game road trip starting on Tuesday. Durant suffered the injury at 6:57 left in the third quarter. He fell on the floor after a collision with Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr.
The Suns are still 11th in the Western Conference with a 35-40 record. With seven games left and the Dallas Mavericks, the team in 10th place, on a hot streak, their playoff chances are slim.
For other sports-related content:
Follow me on X at @BarbecueBro, and follow us at @HardwoodHeroics and @GridironHeroics. You can also reach out to Reign Amurao via email at [email protected]. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest sports news, click here!
Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
