Should Phoenix Suns care about Kevin Durant’s preferred trade options?

• The Phoenix Suns are seeking a favorable trade for Kevin Durant, aiming to balance acquiring valuable assets with accommodating Durant’s preferred destinations.
• Suns GM Brian Gregory is under pressure to secure a good return for Durant, facing scrutiny similar to the Mavericks’ trade of Luka Dončić.

The Dallas Mavericks were initially viewed as the team that didn’t come close to getting enough from the Los Angeles Lakers for Luka Doncic in one of the biggest trades in NBA history.

Anthony Davis is one of the game’s best bigs, but he’s 32 and has battled his share of injuries. He suffered a groin injury in his Mavs debut that sidelined him for six weeks.

Dallas only acquired one draft pick, a first-round selection in the 2029 draft and one more player in guard Max Christie, in the three-team deal. Good player, but Christie is not a game changer.

Mavs GM Nico Harrison justified the trade by saying defense wins championships and Davis gives Dallas a stalwart defender. This may eventually prove to be the right move for the Mavs, but Harrison drew immediate and piercing criticism about the deal.

At 26, Doncic is in his prime and a top-five NBA talent. A full season with LeBron James could result in a championship for the Lakers.  

Now, Phoenix Suns general manager Brian Gregory is looking to get all he can for Kevin Durant.

Even more accomplished than Doncic, Durant is a 15-time All-Star, a two-time finals MVP and still one of the game’s best players at age 36.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Saturday, June 14, that the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat are Durant’s preferred destinations as all three are committed to signing him to a two-year extension.

While a trade seems imminent, the Suns are looking for the best possible haul in return that may involve a third team. Unlike the Doncic deal, the Suns are trying to strike a balance between finding an approved landing spot for Durant and getting the best deal possible.

The two sides won’t completely co-exist, but a league source informed The Republic this week that the team should always look out for its best interest even in a situation like this.

The Rockets, Spurs and Heat each have desirable assets whether it’s players or draft picks — or both — but aren’t so willing to part ways with them as part of a deal for Durant.

Heat rookie big Kel’el Ware and one of the Spurs two lottery picks (2nd and 14th overall) should be part of Phoenix’s wish list in a trade for Durant.

The Rockets have young talent and draft capital, thus making them perhaps the ideal trade partner for the Suns. A hypothetical trade that works financially according to Spotrac is the Rockets landing Durant for Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Jock Landale.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was initially viewed as the superstar player involved in offseason trade talks after the Bucks suffered another early playoff exit. Those talks cooled, shifting the attention to Durant.

The spotlight isn’t just on him, though.

There’s Gregory.

The Suns won just 36 games and missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 season. Team owner Mat Ishbia fired Mike Budenholzer as head coach within a year of hiring him, elevated Gregory from vice president of player programming to general manager and shifted James Jones to senior adviser.

Jones’ contract expires at the end of this month.

Gregory led the head coaching search that ended with the hiring of Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott. The 40-year-old is deemed ready to be an NBA head coach, but he’s never been one.

Now, Gregory finds himself part of an even bigger decision that’ll be instantly judged.

Ishbia said after firing Budenholzer that he’d be more involved in the Suns’ basketball decisions, but the billionaire also entrusted Gregory to run the team with CEO Josh Bartelstein.

All three won’t have to look far over the horizon to see the incoming praise or criticism — or both — for trading Durant and what they do and don’t get in return.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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