Kevin Durant could be on the move this summer.
ESPN’s Shams Charania claims that the Phoenix Suns will be offered terms by the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves over a trade.
Durant is looking to join his fifth franchiseThe San Antonio Spurs have also emerged as contenders for his signature, with The Athletic reporting that KD would prefer to head to Texas and link up with Victor Wembanyama.
Durant is entering the final year of his contract and will be owed $54.7 million for the 2025-26 season.
He will be eligible to sign an extension worth up to $122 million on July 6 after averaging 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game for the struggling Suns this campaign.
The Golden State Warriors almost made a play for KD before the trade deadline, but the 15-time All-Star opted against a return to the Bay Area.
Durant won his only two NBA Championships with the Warriors after teaming up with Steph Curry in a controversial trade.
Drafted by the Seattle Supersonics in 2007, he became a hero in Oklahoma City after the franchise became the Thunder.
In 2012, KD, Russell Westbrook and James Harden inspired the Thunder to the NBA Finals but lost against a Miami Heat powerhouse led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
And by 2016, Durant decided to jump ship after OKC’s championship window closed and signed a two-year, $54.3 million contract to form a superteam with the rival Warriors.
“That call to Oklahoma City was the hardest thing I’ve had to do in my life. Tears were shed. I trusted my gut,” Durant said.
“We live in this superhero comic book world where either you’re a villain or you’re a superhero if you’re in this position, and I know that, and I know I haven’t changed as a person.
GettyKD won back-to-back rings with Golden State[/caption] A clash with Draymond Green broke up the superteamGetty“I don’t treat people any differently because I made the decision to play basketball in another city. I understand the fans in Oklahoma City and basketball fans around the world are, I guess, upset.
“But like I said, I made the decision based upon what I wanted to do and how I felt, and it’s the best decision for me, so I can’t really control how you feel.”
Durant’s decision paid off, not only did he become the Warriors’ highest-earning superstar, he also claimed two Finals MVP awards.
“When I met these guys, I felt as comfortable as I’ve ever felt. It was organic. It was authentic. It was real. It was feelings I couldn’t ignore,” he said after sealing the move.
“It’s been hectic. A lot of attention comes with being in this position [after free agency]. But I feel great. I feel excited about this opportunity.”
The move was so controversial that it even caught the eye of NBA legend Larry Bird, who compared it to the idea of him forming a superteam with his own great rival of the 1980s.
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“I know back in the day, I couldn’t imagine going to the Lakers and playing with Magic Johnson. I’d rather try to beat him,” Bird said at the time.
“I could never imagine myself going and joining another team with great players, because I had great players and I was in a great situation.”
After Durant’s exit, the Thunder failed to get past the first round of the playoffs until 2024.
He formed one of the game’s great dynasties in the Bay Area but current Thunder phenom Shai Gilgeous-Alexander inadvertently broke it up.
During his rookie season with the Los Angeles Clippers, he came up against Steve Kerr’s three-peat-chasing Warriors.
As well as Curry and KD, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were part of a formidable roster.
But Durant and Green were at the center of a furious bust-up in an overtime loss to the Clippers, with the latter suspended for his role in a heated on-court argument.
Reports at the time suggested Green was frustrated by Durant clapping for the ball at the end of regulation for a possible game-winner.
Golden State still made the NBA Finals, but lost to the Toronto Raptors and Durant joined the Brooklyn Nets shortly after.
Incredibly, it was SGA who poked the ball away from Green to cause the fallout that helped end Golden State’s golden era.
He is now one win away from earning a ring of his own after dropping 31 points to help the Thunder take a 3-2 lead in the NBA Finals.
OKC could claim victory on the road in Game 6 Thursday or in a potential home court decider at the weekend.
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