With just 22 tip-offs remaining in the regular season, the Phoenix Suns are on the cusp of missing the postseason. Their dismal standing has spurred the rumor mills, casting doubts about the future of Kevin Durant in Arizona.
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At age 36, there are questions about Durant’s value, especially as a leader. And who would be better positioned to answer those questions than a teammate who played in the NBA Finals with KD? During Sunday night’s ESPN programming, Kendrick Perkins spoke about Durant’s value in the open market.
According to the former NBA center, young teams should be wary about losing too many assets in pursuit of the 15-time All-Star.
“If you’re a team that’s actually looking to trade for Kevin Durant and you’re trying to win the championship, do you actually wanna trade for him? I’ve never seen a player that downplays winning the championship more than Kevin Durant,” the 2008 NBA champion remarked.
"I've never seen a player that downplays winning a championship more than Kevin Durant."@KendrickPerkins questioned what Kevin Durant brings to a championship contender 😳 pic.twitter.com/Iwu912k2VV
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 2, 2025
Despite exuding a love for the game, Durant’s leadership, particularly with the Suns, has frequently been questioned. He’s one to let his game do the talking but according to Perkins, that often comes off as nonchalant and doesn’t add the veteran presence that a young team might need to reach the next level.
While the player-turned-analyst questioned KD’s value to a title contending team, Shams Charania chimed in to let him know that “a handful of teams” were already pursuing the four-time scoring leader’s signature at the 2024-25 trade deadline.
However, Perkins pointed to Durant’s stint in Phoenix as a cautionary tale for the franchises that want to acquire him this off-season. “They [the Suns] leveraged their entire future to go out and get Kevin Durant. Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, 4 first-round picks to get put in this position right here.”
3.5 games behind the 10th seed, the Suns are trying to put together a run to just make it into the Play-In tournament. It was certainly not the future they envisioned when they traded for the former MVP in 2023.
Nonetheless, Stephen A. Smith believes that there is one franchise that can minimize the risk of trading for Durant while maximizing the reward.
Stephen A. Smith vouches for a Durant reunion in Oklahoma City
Interestingly, the ESPN veteran didn’t disagree with any of Perkins’ arguments. Instead, he countered that Perk’s concerns wouldn’t apply to a team like the Thunder, that are swimming in draft picks and young talent.
“They can’t even use all the damn assets they’ve acquired. You understand, you can give away four or five first-round picks and still have a boatload of picks if you are the Oklahoma City Thunder,” Smith said.
He also outlined why OKC and its front office might also be in a desperate enough situation to consider pairing a proven star with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“Sam Presti, Imma say it again. 17 years as an executive in the NBA, never has won a championship. If there’s somebody that should be saying, ‘I need to win this’, it would be him,” the 57-year-old added.
Furthermore, landing a player like Durant would address many of the concerns about the Thunder’s postseason chances. In the 2023-24 playoffs, teams were able to focus on SGA and force his teammates into creating for themselves. While Jalen Williams has certainly looked up to task during the regular season, the postseason comes with harder defensive coverages. A player of Durant’s caliber and experience can certainly qualm those concerns.
