The Phoenix Suns trading Kevin Durant this offseason is a “foregone conclusion,” Jake Fischer reported on his Bleacher Report show, NBA Insider Notebook.
The only mystery left is where he is getting traded.
Dan Favale of Bleacher Report proposed a blockbuster four-team trade that will send Durant to the New York Knicks, not for Karl-Anthony Towns, but for a Dejounte Murray-and-picks-centered package.
Here is Favale’s trade proposal:
Phoenix Suns receive: Dejounte Murray, Yves Missi, Kelly Olynyk, own 2026 first-round pick (via Washington’s swap rights), Indiana’s 2026 first-round pick (top-four protection, via New Orleans), New Orleans’ 2026 first-round pick (top-nine protection), 2028 first-round swap (least favorable of Brooklyn, New York and Phoenix, via New York), Toronto’s 2031 first-round pick (via New Orleans)
New York Knicks receive: Kevin Durant
New Orleans Pelicans receive: Karl-Anthony Towns
Washington Wizards receive: P.J. Tucker, 2027 first-round pick swap (most favorable of Milwaukee and New Orleans, with top-four protection, via New Orleans)
“This package allows the Suns to explore the merits of a gap year. Recapturing the rights to their own 2026 draft pick is huge, and they’re loading up on two others, perfectly positioning them to move up the board or broker other trades next summer, when they’ll be ready to hit the turbo button,” Favale wrote.
Dejounte Murray’s Fit Next to Devin Booker
With the Suns retooling around their longest tenured star Devin Booker, it is paramount that they find the right pieces around him.
When healthy, Murray is one of the top two-way backcourt players in the NBA. The one-time All-Star guard averaged 17.5 points, 7.4 assists, 6.5 rebounds and career-high-tying 2.0 steals before he went down this season.
“Murray’s right Achilles injury should sideline him for a chunk of next season, but that fits the gap-year motif, he’ll be a solid fit alongside Devin Booker upon return, and the balance of his contract (three years, $96.8 million) is modest enough that Phoenix doesn’t need him to be an All-Star,” Favale wrote.
As a bonus, the Suns will also get a promising big man, who was just named to the All-Rookie Second Team.
“Missi is a legitimate big-man-of-the-future prospect for Phoenix to evaluate who brings something different from Nick Richards and Oso Ighodaro,” Favale added.
Favale’s trade idea also saves the Suns “over $6 million before taxes,” which, combined with other salary-dumping moves, could help them duck the second apron.
Suns Not Interested in Knicks All-Star Big Man
The Knicks made an offer for Durant at the trade deadline, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
“There was some mutual interest between Kevin Durant and the Knicks at the trade deadline,” Charania reported. “The Knicks made an offer for Kevin Durant at the NBA trade deadline. Obviously, there was no Kevin Durant trade.”
However, it is unclear what the Knicks’ offer was. Towns is the most logical choice in a straightforward deal.
Despite his friendship with Booker, his ex-Kentucky teammate, the Suns are not interested in Towns, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports.
“I have heard that the Suns don’t have interest in Karl-Anthony Towns,” Gambadoro said. “I was told that… With the Knicks, (PHX) more likely would like an OG Anunoby or Mikal Bridges, but not a Karl-Anthony Towns.”
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