The San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns will be talked about as trade partners for many weeks to come.
On Tuesday’s episode of The Pat McAfee Show, ESPN’s Shams Charania reiterated that the Spurs and Suns superstar Kevin Durant had mutual interest before the 2024 NBA trade deadline in February.
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The Spurs, built around the generational talent of Victor Wembanyama and bolstered by the recent addition of De’Aaron Fox, are accelerating their timeline to contend.
Despite losing Wembanyama to a blood clot and Fox to a finger injury in 2024-25, San Antonio remains asset-rich, holding the No. 2 and No. 14 picks in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Adding a superstar could catapult them into playoff contention. For Phoenix, the Durant-Booker-Beal experiment has failed. Suns owner Mat Ishbia’s aggressive approach to team-building suggests he might be willing to pivot, potentially trading Durant to recoup assets for a soft rebuild around Book.
A trade centered on Durant could see the Spurs offering young talents like Stephon Castle, the 2024-25 Rookie of the Year, and draft picks to Phoenix. For San Antonio, Durant’s scoring prowess (26.6 points per game, 52.7 percent FG in 2024-25) and Texas ties—he played college ball at UT-Austin—could create a dynamic trio with Wembanyama and Fox, blending veteran leadership with youthful potential.
Phoenix would gain flexibility to retool around Booker. However, Durant’s age (37 by next season) and injury history pose risks for the Spurs, who would have to weigh sacrificing depth for a short-term title push.
If the Spurs could pull off a KD deal without giving up Castle, it would be a no-brainer, but that might be the player that Phoenix demands.
There’s a sound argument to be made that keeping Castle rather than acquiring Durant for a year or two would be the smarter move.
KD’s sweepstakes are going to be fascinating to watch unfold, and you can expect the Spurs to be involved all the way through.
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