The Phoenix Suns paid an absolutely historic price to land Kevin Durant in 2023. Really think about the haul Brooklyn got with the benefit of hindsight:
- The Nets got four unprotected first-round picks (2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029) and one unprotected first-round swap (2028) directly.
- The Nets also got Mikal Bridges, whom they would later trade for five first-round picks (2025, 2025 from Milwaukee, 2027, 2029, 2031) and one first-round swap (2028) from the Knicks.
- Jae Crowder, another player Brooklyn landed in the deal, generated two second-round picks in a follow-up trade with the Bucks.
- Cam Johnson, the final remaining player from the deal, is still a Net. However, Brooklyn shopped him at the deadline and reportedly wanted two first-round picks. Let’s be conservative and estimate that he’s worth one reasonably valuable one.
Therefore, in terms of value, the Suns paid 10 first-round picks, two first-round swaps and two second-round picks to get Durant. Very few players have ever netted more in a single deal, and paying such a price hamstrung the Suns thereafter. They are now looking to trade Durant again, and, shocker, they are not getting offers at a similar price point.
In fact, even their initial asking price seems to have been high. In March, reports indicated that the Suns wanted three first-round picks and a young player for Durant. While we do not yet know what kinds of offers Phoenix is getting, The Athletic’s Kelly Iko is reporting that the Suns have “gradually lowered their asking price for Durant.”
Again, this makes plenty of sense. Durant is going to be 37 on opening night, and he is on an expiring contract, so he can deter undesirable suitors. He remains an All-NBA player who fits on basically any roster, but there’s no telling how much longer that will remain true. He remains quite valuable, just nowhere near as valuable as the Suns treated him as back in 2023.
Fortunately for the Suns, there does appear to be a reasonable amount of interest in Durant. Houston has been in communication with Phoenix, according to Iko, and other teams reportedly had mutual interest at the deadline. They include the Knicks, Spurs, Heat and Timberwolves. This probably won’t be a true bidding war. Durant can narrow the field to his preferred destinations using his expiring deal as leverage. But the mere fact that this interest exists means that Phoenix should get meaningful positive value in return.
It just won’t be anywhere near the ridiculous price they paid two years ago. Very few players in NBA history have ever been worth 10 first-round picks and change, and as it turned out, Durant, over the last few years, hasn’t been one of them.
