The Suns didn’t think it would come to this. Not with a squad this stacked. Not with a lineup built like a cheat code. And definitely not with him still playing at this level. But here we are. Right now, the front office is quietly panicking. Fans are growing restless. And behind the curtain? The tension is unreal. The once-promised super team is wobbling, and there’s one massive name stuck right in the middle of it all.
You know exactly who we’re talking about. But let’s not jump ahead just yet. Because the real story here isn’t just about one player. It’s about the storm brewing behind the scenes, the weight of a billion-dollar mistake, and the six teams already circling like sharks.
A few months ago, the Suns looked poised to be a contender. Kevin Durant was dropping 30 with his eyes closed, Devin Booker was heating up, and Bradley Beal was…well, technically on the court. The vibes? Championship or bust. Fast-forward to now, and it’s chaos. Phoenix is 11th in the West. Not fifth. Not sixth. Eleventh! With four games left, they’re hanging by a thread just to sneak into the play-in.
We know all 10 post-season teams in the East… but the West is not decided yet.
3 teams fight for those last 2 Play-In spots:
– Sacramento Kings
– Dallas Mavericks
– Pheonix Suns
Who will get eliminated? pic.twitter.com/fSMoaxZMEo
— Mid Range News (@TheMidRangeNews) April 7, 2025
And the worst part? They’re not just losing games — they’re losing money. The Suns are drowning in second apron tax penalties, with a payroll ballooning to “this-can’t-be-real” levels. They’re set to spend nearly $400 million next season, and that’s before any potential extensions hit the table.
Something’s gotta give. And it’s not going to be Booker. He’s the face of the franchise. If Phoenix were Arrakis, Booker’s their Muad’Dib. Beal? He’s got a no-trade clause so ironclad you’d think he wrote it himself. So, that leaves just one name. One $55 million decision — Kevin Durant.
He’s still putting up insane numbers — 26.6 points per game, 52.7 percent shooting, and more highlights than most teams combined. But his age, his price tag, and his looming desire for a $120 million extension are becoming harder and harder to ignore.
This isn’t about whether KD can still ball. He can. Everyone knows that. This is about whether the Suns can keep pretending this superteam is working… when it’s clearly not.
The Unofficial “Come Get KD” Club
Here’s the wild part — the moment Phoenix even hints that Durant might be on the block, the phones will not stop ringing. Six teams have already been sniffing around. And some of them? They’re absolutely drooling at the thought.
Let’s start with the Warriors. Yeah, them Warriors. A KD reunion almost went down, but he reportedly shut it down before it could heat up. Old wounds heal slow, huh? Then you’ve got the Timberwolves.
Can you imagine KD next to Anthony Edwards? That’s not a team; that’s a basketball war machine! The Knicks are always in the mix. New York’s been chasing a true superstar for what feels like forever. Drop Durant in MSG, and the garden won’t sleep for a week.
Houston is lurking, too. Young guys, draft picks, cap room — they’ve got all the ingredients for a blockbuster. And the Rockets would love to fast-forward into win-now mode. Don’t count out Miami either. Pat Riley wakes up every day thinking about landing the next big fish. KD in South Beach? You better believe Tyler Herro’s already texting him.
And then there’s San Antonio. At first, it sounds weird… until you picture Durant feeding Wemby passes or splitting defenders like it’s 2014 again. That duo would break basketball!
Mar 10, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots as Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) defends during the third quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
To his credit, Durant’s played it cool. He hasn’t fanned the trade flames. No cryptic tweets. No subtle digs. Just buckets. But make no mistake — there’s tension. Quiet, calculated tension. Word is, Durant and the front office already agreed to explore options this summer. Not exactly a pinky promise to stay put, huh?
And that tension? It’s only going to grow. Because every time Durant drops 38 in a loss — like he did against the Bucks — it just reminds everyone that he’s still elite… and that the Suns are wasting him. The better he plays, the harder it gets for Phoenix to justify keeping him.
Especially when that $55 million is breathing down their neck. Especially when that extension looms like a thundercloud. And especially when the team looks like it’s headed straight for vacation by mid-April.
Nobody wants to trade Kevin Durant. Not fans, not players, not even the front office. But in the NBA, want has no place. This is about survival. It’s about not becoming the next cautionary tale of a super team gone sideways. The Suns pushed all their chips in — and now, they might have to fold just to stay alive.
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