The Phoenix Suns are in an awful position this offseason, coming off a 36-46 campaign that ended by missing the play-in tournament. Now, the Suns are stuck owing $161.5 million to Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal next season, while they still have no sense of direction with the underwhelming “big three.”
This summer will make or break Phoenix’s future, and their most likely solution is trading Kevin Durant. The 36-year-old superstar ended his 2024-25 campaign with an ankle sprain and likely played his last game in a Suns uniform back in March.
Of course, Durant has been one of the NBA’s top players for nearly two decades, but the aging superstar’s trade value could be at an all-time low. Durant only has one year left on his contract, worth $54.7 million, and has played over 62 games just once in the past six seasons.
Still, there will likely be at least a few teams lined up ready to throw in some offers at the Suns for Durant this summer, and the Memphis Grizzlies could be looking to win the sweepstakes.
The Grizzlies are coming off a first-round playoff exit by getting swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder, as their star trio of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. is not getting the job done. Now, the Grizzlies could look to flip one of those stars in a trade package for Durant. A potential deal could look like:
Memphis Grizzlies receive: Kevin Durant
Phoenix Suns receive: Desmond Bane, Brandon Clarke, 2027 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick swap (PHX rights)
This deal would allow the Grizzlies to build a new-look star trio of Durant, Morant, and Jackson Jr., which provides enough versatility to compete in a tough Western Conference. Durant continues to show he is one of the elite offensive talents in the league, and pairing him with Morant, especially, would create one of the most electric duos possible.
Of course, the Suns do not want to trade Durant away for scraps, but his value is certainly not as high as they would hope, considering he will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Still, Desmond Bane would be an incredible backcourt complement alongside Devin Booker, while Brandon Clarke would give the Suns some much-needed frontcourt help.
A deal centered around a Durant-for-Bane swap could certainly look much different, but this is the ideal framework for the Grizzlies looking to add a superstar alongside their franchise point guard.
