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Could the Spurs target Kevin Durant this offseason?
Could the Spurs target Kevin Durant this offseason?
While the San Antonio Spurs didn’t win the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, they struck gold by landing the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Most of us thought they would use that to potentially target Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the word on the street suggests they will take lauded Rutgers point guard Dylan Harper No. 2 overall. It’s difficult to believe anything because all of this remains fluid up until the card is turned in, but top-5 picks–let alone top-3 picks–have rarely been traded over the course of NBA History.
Nevertheless, the Spurs have plenty of ammo to make a big move around Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox and Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle. Could they target Kevin Durant, whose market appears fairly dry this offseason? ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported Tuesday that the two sides had mutual interest ahead of February’s trade deadline and hinted that those talks could reopen this summer.
Kevin Durant’s market appears to be pretty dry, though I’m presuming most of the league is awaiting to see what Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s future looks like before they pivot to the 15-time All-Star. Could the Houston Rockets circle back? Minnesota Timberwolves? We know the Miami Heat don’t have enough ammo for Antetokounmpo, but Pat Riley may believe he’s contractually obligated to go star-hunting.
The Spurs, however, have assets on top of assets. They have two lottery picks, all six of their picks through 2031, Atlanta’s 2026 (swap) and 2027 (unprotected) firsts, swaps with Boston (2028), Minnesota (2030) and Sacramento (2031).
One could presume that Castle is off the table, but they have Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes (expiring), Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan (expiring), Malaki Branham (expiring) and Julian Champagnie as movable contracts.
Durant, 36, would come at a far cheaper price than Antetokounmpo’s. San Antonio wouldn’t couldn’t trade more than the $54.7 million that Durant will make in 2025-26 because the Suns are in the second apron. But it possesses enough to not only offer some salary relief (expirings), but enough to potentially accelerate a re-tooling process for the Suns without emptying its treasure chest.
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