NBA legend Paul Pierce still has eyes on events going on in the league, recently making a trade proposal that sees Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant return to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Pierce collaborated with former teammate Kevin Garnett on their latest episode of the Ticket and the Truth podcast. He explained to Garnett why he believes Durant should move on from Phoenix and have the Thunder as his next destination. He even provided a specific example of a trade where the teams would essentially exchange stars.
“Let me tell you who really needs some fresh air that really nobody is saying anything about. I’m going to keep 100, and I got a fresh air move or him too. KD can use some fresh air out of Phoenix. You know where you can get him, you can find a way to package Chet up, bring him back to OKC.
“Throw Chet in, you know the salary ain’t going to be there, so now you’ve got to figure out some first-round picks, some of these cats off the bench,” Pierce said at the 23:08 mark.
“KD in OKC for Chet. They’re rolling without Chet, so now you trade him for KD and some feelers. KD has showed me he can play with anybody.”
How Kevin Durant would benefit Thunder if Suns trade him

An emotional reunion aside, Kevin Durant coming back to the Oklahoma City Thunder could give him the chance to accomplish the one thing he couldn't before leaving for the Golden State Warriors in 2016: winning a championship.
His controversial exit left a significant impact on his reputation based on fans who originally rooted for him before he went to Golden State. While he won two championships and two Finals MVPs from 2016 to 2019 in the Bay Area, questions still remained on whether he could have made a title run if he stuck with the Thunder.
Paul Pierce's hypothetical proposal would confirm the answer to that question. And not only that, only sending Chet Holmgren and first-round picks for the most part would be a great bargain for OKC to make. With a core of Durant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Lu Dort, the potential could be sky high for the squad.
In present day, the Suns are struggling to stay above .500 with a 22-21 record, only good for 10th in the West. On the other side, the Thunder have dominated the league so far as they hold the top spot in the West with a 36-8 record.
Durant left such a big presence that the Thunder took time to regroup and return to playoff contention. Coming back would give him the opportunity to finally bring a title to OKC and tie up that loose end in his career.