Well, it was fun while it lasted. Or exhausting. Or both. Regardless of how you feel about the two-months in which the Phoenix Suns appeared to be strongly in the running to acquire one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, that time seems to have ended.
The Nets released a statement Tuesday that Kevin Durant, after demanding a trade June 30 and naming the Suns as a favored destination, has changed his mind following a meeting with his business manager Rich Kleiman, Nets General Manager Sean Marks, Head Coach Steve Nash, and the team’s owners.
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) August 23, 2022
The news came as a bit of a surprise, as The Athletic’s Shams Charania and other notable basketball insiders were continuing to report on maneuvers by multiple teams to put together appealing trade packages for Durant.
Speculation that Durant was headed to Phoenix had cooled a bit, but then flared up when the two-time NBA Finals MVP visited Phoenix just a couple of weeks ago.
To be clear, the announcement today does not mean Durant will definitely not be traded this season, only that he is backing off his earlier demand for a trade. He was already and remains under contract through the 2025/2026 season, so nothing about his status has actually changed and he could always choose to renew his demand for a trade or the team could decide trading him is in its own interest.
While the announcement might throw cold water on some fun thoughts of how lethal Durant could be in tandem with Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, and Chris Paul, it at least gives the Suns a bit more certainty to move forward in the offseason process of preparing for another postseason run this coming season.
It also may be welcome news for Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, who were the presumptive centerpieces of any theoretical deal for KD.
So there you have it, Suns fans: pick a new superstar to start speculating about. This one looks like he’s staying put, at least for awhile.
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