By and large, the 2024-25 NBA season of the Phoenix Suns was a failure. Despite an expensive and star-laden roster that featured the likes of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal and an NBA champion head coach calling the shots, the Suns failed not just to clinch a berth in the 2025 NBA Playoffs as what many expected before the season they would do but also strike out in the race to secure a spot in the NBA Play-in Tournament.
It was an embarrassing campaign that resulted in Mike Budenholzer getting his walking papers shortly after the Suns' season concluded, but the changes might not stop there for Phoenix.
There is a belief that Kevin Durant will get moved at some point by the Suns in the offseason. Trade rumors involving the two-time NBA champion aren't new. He was nearly sent to his former team, the Golden State Warriors, before the February trade deadline but that ultimately did not progress beyond serious discussions.
But a Durant trade could happen in the offseason and he seemingly fueled such rumors with the way he responded to Forbes NBA reporter Shane Young's classy message for him.
Article Continues Below“Shane, I appreciate your approach to your work, u made basketball convos fun and easy,” Durant wrote in a reply to Young's post on X that praised the Suns forward for being such a genuine character. “Great working with u brother and I appreciate the kind words.”
Durant, who had a cap hit of $51.179 million in the 2024-25 NBA season, has one year left on his current contract that he signed with the Brooklyn Nets back in 2021. The 15-time NBA All-Star, who will turn 37 years old in September, is set to earn $54,708 million in the 2025-26 season before becoming a free agent — unless he signs another extension before that.
In two-plus seasons so far with the Suns, who acquired him from the Nets via a four-team trade in 2023, Durant has averaged 26.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists through 145 games.
While still one of the best offensive weapons in the league, Durant is not getting any younger and might not have the patience for a team like the Suns to sort things out, as he looks to win at least one more NBA ring before his legendary career concludes.