Suns Would Have Received Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga, Jonas Valanciunas, Two FRPs For Kevin Durant

Post #1 » by **RealGM Wiretap** » Sat Feb 8, 2025 3:35 am

Kevin Durant and his business manager, Rich Kleiman, only learned of the Phoenix Suns' trade talks with the Golden State Warriors involving him on Friday, January 31. The Warriors played the Suns that evening in San Francisco. Talks had been ongoing for several days that week.

Stephen Curry discussed with Durant the concept of him returning to the Warriors. Curry wanted to understand how Durant would feel about being traded back to the Warriors after leaving the team in 2019. Durant told Curry that it didn't "feel right" and that this "wasn't the time" to reunite, according to multiple sources. Durant also said he was happy in Phoenix and didn't want to leave the team.

The Warriors interpreted it as a "soft 'no'", which discouraged the decision-makers, but it didn't completely end their pursuit of advancing talks. Golden State hoped Durant's feeling could change once he understood the extent in which the Suns discussed his name in trade talks with multiple teams.

The Warriors viewed both the Suns and Miami Heat as teams desperate to make a trade, but incapable of doing so with a third team involved due to the immovable contract of Bradley Beal. The Warriors, who had their own sense of desperation as they pursued yet another star, hoped they could acquire Durant while helping the Suns finally get Butler to go with a more fleshed out roster.

Phoenix would have received Butler, Jonathan Kuminga, Jonas Valanciunas, two first round picks (via Golden State), two second round picks (one from Warriors, one from Heat), plus pick swaps. The Warriors would have received Durant, while Andrew Wiggins, Cleveland's 2025 first round pick, Dennis Schroder and Kyle Anderson would have gone to the Heat. The Heat, however, wanted the Warriors' 2025 first round pick, not the Cavs' pick. The Warriors were uneasy with the Suns' ask for Durant. At one point, the Warriors considered moving forward with the Butler trade with Miami separately and the using him as leverage in their talks with the Suns for Durant.

The Suns now concede they made a mistake not looping Durant into talks. Durant had to send final word on the eve of the trade deadline that he clearly didn't want to return to the Warriors.

"Probably the same reasons he left," a Warriors' source conceded. "It would've been a f---ing circus."

Via Ramona Shelburne, Brian Windhorst/ESPN

writersblock · Post #2 » by **writersblock** » Sat Feb 8, 2025 5:07 am

Man, Suns blew it. I'd take that deal everyday and Sundays. Butler PLUS a young stud in Kuminga. They might have actually been considered contenders. Instead, Durant is going to leave when his contract is up and they'll get nothing. Just wow.

Vegeta10176 · Post #3 » by **Vegeta10176** » Sat Feb 8, 2025 6:28 am

writersblock wrote:Man, Suns blew it. I'd take that deal everyday and Sundays. Butler PLUS a young stud in Kuminga. They might have actually been considered contenders. Instead, Durant is going to leave when his contract is up and they'll get nothing. Just wow.

You clearly misunderstood what happened.. Suns would do it gladly.. The warriors pulled out because Durant was a hard no not a soft no to coming back to the warriors even once he knew he was in trade talks.. Durant does not have a player option so he can be traded in the offseason which I see as likely just not to golden state warriors.. Dallas comes to mind.. The problem the suns have is they traded for beal and let him keep his no trade clause..

Revived · Post #4 » by **Revived** » Sat Feb 8, 2025 11:01 am

Why do teams ask players under contract if they’re okay with being traded or not? Why did the Warriors even ask KD if he’d be okay with being traded to them?

It’s not like Luka got asked if he would be okay being traded to the Lakers.

No league coddles its players more than the NBA.

Charlesareed · Post #5 » by **Charlesareed** » Sat Feb 8, 2025 12:30 pm

Vegeta10176 wrote:
writersblock wrote:Man, Suns blew it. I'd take that deal everyday and Sundays. Butler PLUS a young stud in Kuminga. They might have actually been considered contenders. Instead, Durant is going to leave when his contract is up and they'll get nothing. Just wow.

You clearly misunderstood what happened.. Suns would do it gladly.. The warriors pulled out because Durant was a hard no not a soft no to coming back to the warriors even once he knew he was in trade talks.. Durant does not have a player option so he can be traded in the offseason which I see as likely just not to golden state warriors.. Dallas comes to mind.. The problem the suns have is they traded for beal and let him keep his no trade clause..

It’s not like KD had a say so they could’ve just traded him he was gonna put in his warrriors 35 and hoop

itsxtray · Post #6 » by **itsxtray** » Sat Feb 8, 2025 2:33 pm

Revived wrote:Why do teams ask players under contract if they’re okay with being traded or not? Why did the Warriors even ask KD if he’d be okay with being traded to them?

It’s not like Luka got asked if he would be okay being traded to the Lakers.

No league coddles its players more than the NBA.

Because no one wants a disgruntled player. Dealing with a Jimmy Butler-like situation is exhausting and bad for your team, so there's no point in trading for a player who doesn't want to be there. Durant also voluntarily left the Warriors before, so seeing if he wants to come back is smart—why spend assets on him if he won't re-sign? He only has a year left on his contract. Coddling has nothing to do with it, it's about giving up assets for a player who wouldn't want to be there.

ecuhus1981 · Post #7 » by **ecuhus1981** » Sat Feb 8, 2025 5:50 pm

I appreciate Kevin, but he IS the circus.

Phoenix should have taken the deal. I understand player empowerment, and getting a player's buy-in to ensure the trade is beneficial for all parties. But, they should have just gone for it, KD would have gotten over the shock.

Now, Durant gets to stew about how they almost traded him, it's going to add toxicity to the Suns locker room. And in the summer, he'll demand a trade and drive down his value to steer himself to a contender.

RM519 · Post #8 » by **RM519** » Sat Feb 8, 2025 6:00 pm

That’s a **** ton more than Dallas got for Doncic

F’n Niko

GQ Hot Dog · Post #9 » by **GQ Hot Dog** » Sat Feb 8, 2025 6:45 pm

RM519 wrote:That’s a **** ton more than Dallas got for Doncic

F’n Niko

It's kinda wild.

KD did us a favor by turning us down because the difference between this trade for KD and what we parted with for Jimmy is massive.

GQ Hot Dog · Post #10 » by **GQ Hot Dog** » Sat Feb 8, 2025 6:58 pm

ecuhus1981 wrote:I appreciate Kevin, but he IS the circus.

Phoenix should have taken the deal. I understand player empowerment, and getting a player's buy-in to ensure the trade is beneficial for all parties. But, they should have just gone for it, KD would have gotten over the shock.

Now, Durant gets to stew about how they almost traded him, it's going to add toxicity to the Suns locker room. And in the summer, he'll demand a trade and drive down his value to steer himself to a contender.

I'm sure the Suns were itching to complete this trade. It was the Warriors that pulled out because they didn't want a disgruntled KD.

M2J · Post #11 » by **M2J** » Sat Feb 8, 2025 9:40 pm

GQ Hot Dog wrote:
RM519 wrote:That’s a **** ton more than Dallas got for Doncic

F’n Niko

It's kinda wild.

KD did us a favor by turning us down because the difference between this trade for KD and what we parted with for Jimmy is massive.

Yeah yeah yeah.... That's why it didn't happen. That's a heavy ask.

Niko got more than we typically see in any trade. Like another all NBA 2 way player and young 2 way star with a pick