Suns Reportedly Want 'Quality Draft Capital' in Kevin Durant Trade amid NBA Rumors
Draft picks are reportedly at the top of the list when it comes to what the Phoenix Suns are asking for in trade discussions involving Kevin Durant.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, league sources have said the Suns are hoping to land "a measure of quality draft capital" in a potential Durant trade, and they believe they will secure "at least one meaningful selection" in the 2025 NBA draft later this month.
As a result, the Suns have reportedly been doing their due diligence on 2025 draft prospects, including ones who likely wouldn't be in their selection range with the No. 29 overall pick, which is the top selection they own currently.
Despite the Suns' desires, there is reportedly "skepticism" within the league that any team will part with "a significant amount of draft capital" for the 36-year-old Durant, who is set to enter a contract year.
While compensation remains something of a question mark, Fischer reported that the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat have been mentioned most often in league circles as the likeliest landing spots for KD.
On Friday, ESPN's Shams Charania appeared on the Pat McAfee Show and named the T-Wolves, Heat and Houston Rockets as the teams that had emerged as the top contenders to acquire Durant:
Charania also said Durant could be traded within the next few days, which would give the Suns an opportunity to secure picks in the 2025 NBA draft.
It was previously reported by Charania that Durant's business partner, Rich Kleiman, has already met with the Suns on multiple occasions, and they are working together to find a landing spot for the future Hall of Famer.
Both the Timberwolves and Heat own 2025 draft picks just outside the lottery, as Minnesota is set to pick 17th overall and Miami has the 20th overall pick.
Meanwhile, Houston is scheduled to pick 10th, plus it has several more future picks and young players who could possibly be included in a trade for Durant, such as Reed Sheppard and Cam Whitmore.
Durant is one of the all-time greats, as he is eighth in NBA history in points scored and is a 15-time All-Star, four-time scoring champion, two-time NBA champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP and one-time NBA MVP.
He is still capable of being a go-to guy on a good team as well, as evidenced by averaging 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.6 three-pointers made and 1.2 blocks per game in 2024-25.
Durant signing an extension as part of a trade could possibly help the Suns get a better return, and Phoenix could also benefit from a potential arms race between Minnesota, Miami and Houston if they all view KD as the last piece to a championship puzzle.
