Suns CEO: Conversations have been ‘great’ regarding possible Kevin Durant extension

Suns CEO: Conversations have been ‘great’ regarding possible Kevin Durant extension

Ever since owner Mat Ishbia has walked into the building, the Phoenix Suns have done nothing but spend.

Ishbia’s first large move was influencing the Kevin Durant trade to Phoenix the night before the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline. He then swung the Bradley Beal deal the following offseason. They finished third in active payroll last offseason and lead in active payroll–by over $20 million–heading into 2024-25, according to Spotrac.

Durant became eligible for an additional $60 million extension in mid-June–potentially locking in Durant, Beal and Devin Booker for nearly $500 million through 2026-27. He has yet to sign it, but Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein offered an encouraging update regarding the talks earlier this week.

“He’s focused on the Olympics, but we’re always having dialogue,” Bartelstein said, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “The relationship is what matters the most. The relationship is in a great spot. I talk to (Durant’s agent) Rich Kleiman, who works with Kevin, all the time. Conversations are great not just on extension stuff, but on all things that have been going on.”

Durant, who turns 36-years-old in September, is only eligible for a one-year extension because of the over-38 rule, which prohibits players from signing contracts that last four or more years if they are 38 or older or will turn 38 during the duration of the contract.

He has two more guaranteed years left on his deal for $51.2 million this upcoming season followed by $54.7 million in 2025-26. Durant is still one of the most gifted basketball players to ever live and is playing at a very high level when he’s on the floor.

He played in 75 games in 2023-24, but had not appeared in 70 percent of his team’s games in any of his previous four seasons, including missing the entire 2019-20 season after rupturing his achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals.

He’s no spring chicken, even though he averaged 27.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists on 52.3/41.3/85.6 shooting splits last year. ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst laid out in April that, if conversations appeared murky, there could be a “kindling” in Phoenix if no extension is signed.

At the end of the day, Durant just wants to hoop, but who knows what direction this goes? I can’t put anything past anyone in the NBA. I just can’t.

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