Kevin Durant on trade rumors: ‘Even if I’m blindsided or not, it doesn’t matter’

Kevin Durant on trade rumors: ‘Even if I’m blindsided or not, it doesn’t matter’

Leading up to last week’s deadline, there was plenty of buzz surrounding Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant‘s future with the Phoenix Suns–just two years after being traded there in a blockbuster deal from the Brooklyn Nets.

The 18th-year veteran ultimately didn’t get moved, with Phoenix mostly staying pat at the deadline outside of making two separate deals to acquire Nick Richards, Cody Martin and Vasilije Micic while trading Jusuf Nurkic.

While Durant didn’t expect trade buzz to percolate in the final 48-72 hours leading up to the deadline, he’s well aware that the NBA is a business and that anything is possible at any time.

“I didn’t see it coming, but the organization got to do what they got to do for the betterment of their organization,” he told reporters earlier this week. “Even if I’m blindsided or not, it doesn’t matter. That’s part of the business, you know what I’m saying? As a player, you gotta be prepared for anything. I’ve been traded before. I’ve moved teams before. I got up and switched my whole situation up midseason. So you gotta be prepared for anything in this league. So being blindsided doesn’t even matter.

"I didn't see it coming, but the organization got to do what they got to do for the betterment of their organization. Even if I'm blindsided or not, it doesn't matter. That's part of the business."

More Kevin Durant on trade talks and Phoenix Suns.

“Whoever call me and tell me… pic.twitter.com/Rz3xSuNuGr

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) February 10, 2025

Durant, 36, will be on the hook for $54.7 million next season, the last year of his current deal. Phoenix currently leads the NBA in active payroll and is projected to be second at roughly $219 million with just 10 players on the books–including nearly $4 million in dead money–according to Spotrac.

It hasn’t worked with Durant and the Suns, who are straddled with Bradley Beal‘s no-trade clause. The Suns are currently the No. 11 seed in the West at 26-27, one game behind Golden State and Sacramento for the final play-in spots.

Report: Kevin Durant does not want to be traded to Golden State, reunion ‘highly unlikely’

They have tried to add around the fringes, but it hasn’t been enough. Durant and Beal aren’t getting any younger, and the latter’s contract is practically untradeable. Thus, the Suns may have to trade Durant this offseason–which will be a difficult proposition for a team that traded Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson plus five first-round picks–including a 2028 swap–for him two calendar years ago.

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