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There are several reported interested parties in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, and we now have some inkling as to what the Phoenix Suns may want in return, particularly from the San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs have each of the last two winners of the NBA Rookie of the Year, Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. Additionally, the Spurs own the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft, all of which is a likely sign of good things to come in San Antonio.
But if they want to trade for Durant, the Spurs will potentially have to trade either Castle or the No. 2 pick, sacrificing some of the long-term potential for short-term gain.
“I think I've got some news,” former Spurs front-office member Kirk Goldsberry said on the ‘Zach Lowe Show.' “I know our friends in San Antonio think the price [for Durant] is too high, and the original discussions including the number-two pick and/or Stephon Castle are not going very well on the Spurs end of the telephone, I can tell you that. Everybody loves Kevin Durant, even though he's 36, soon to be 37, but the Phoenix Suns, my understanding is, Zach Lowe, they're asking for a little too much.”
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While the Spurs have not been hesitant to add older talent to their generally young roster — San Antonio signed 39-year-old Chris Paul as a free agent and traded for 32-year-old Harrison Barnes last summer — it would seem they are not ready to part with young talent while doing so.
Castle, the fourth pick in last year's draft, averaged 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists per game, and would seem to be a valuable piece to the Spurs' future, considering his skill and 6-foot-6-inch frame. In combination with Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-3 unicorn, Castle proved effective as a rookie despite starting just over half of the 81 games he played.
Durant, one of the best and most consistent scorers in NBA history, would likely fit well with Castle and Wembanyama, neither of whom is an especially adept three-point shooter. While Wembanyama improved from his rookie season from beyond the arc, he shot slightly below average (35.2%) on threes. Castle, who was not a three-point threat at UConn, made 28.5% of his attempts from downtown.
Durant is entering the final year of his contract with the Suns.
