Two primary questions are wandering around like free birds. First, will Kevin Durant finish his career at the Phoenix Suns? Second, will he leave the franchise during the summer break? But here is a third one that talks about his retirement and speculates on how and when it will happen. Since KD rejected the idea of reuniting with the Golden State Warriors, things have been… strange. Suddenly, talks of him leaving the Suns took over. Rumors of the Suns trading for Jimmy Butler only added fuel to the fire. But, let’s go one at a time.
On Thursday’s edition of ESPN’s First Take, Brian Winhorst joined Stephen A. Smith to talk about the pressing matters of the league. They also had the ex-Memphis Grizzlies star Rudy Gay as a guest. In a deep dive into Kevin Durant’s future, experts broke down his current situation. The 36-year-old hooper’s next move is a hot topic.
Is trading for Kevin Durant a risky move for any NBA franchise?
An undisputed Hall of Famer first ballot, Kevin Durant‘s contribution to the league is incomparable. His high performance even on the cusp of 37 seems unreal. Therefore, any team wanting to trade for Kevin Durant will need to offer significant assets—such as star players, draft picks, or both—because of his impressive career and current performance. Despite his age, Durant’s talent and impact on the court make him a valuable player, which raises the price for acquiring him.
“I personally don’t see too many teams willing to do that, besides the teams that need to make that little push,” Rudy Gay commented without any hesitation. Teams like the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks could benefit from the Slim Reaper. He would want a franchise that will bolster his championship-winning chances. Anywhere else would simply mean a waste of time. “I know him personally, he’s great, and he’s been one of the hardest people for me to ever guard,” Rudy further noted. Well, KD in his prime and even now is an unstoppable phenom.
The ex-NBA player also commented: “I do think that at this point, it’s only a certain amount of teams that would take. Because of his age, and, it’s a young man’s league now, and you got to move a lot of people for that guy, and you have to have a plan.” Age surely is a major factor in the league moving forward, players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry are also in the category of the ‘older’ players. But in KD’s case, there is a question of efficiency after 17 years of serving in the NBA.
“This is a young man’s league now. You gotta move a lot of people for [Kevin Durant].”
—@RudyGay on KD and the Phoenix Suns pic.twitter.com/UfrGaXS3C1
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 27, 2025
Meanwhile, Brian Windhorst doesn’t agree with Kevin Durant’s reasons for not choosing to move to the Warriors. “I didn’t want to move mid-season (paraphrased),” the Suns star had said. Windy thinks that the 15x All-Star center’s trade veto and Jimmy Butler’s move to the Dubs have given Phoenix a pass. “The Suns were well into negotiations to trade him, but he didn’t know that. Now, when he found out about it, he stopped it, and the Warriors respected his decision,” the insider shared.
Most importantly, Brian Windhorst thinks that Kevin Durant intends to work with the Suns this summer and then end his career on his terms, as he has mentioned a couple hundred times. “So to me, the Suns are going through the motions, and he’s trying to rally them. It’s not working. One of the big storylines of the summer is where Kevin Durant is going to want to end on his terms,” Windy added.
As experts debated the pros and cons of keeping or trading Durant, Adrian Wojnarowski’s prophecies resurfaced on the internet. You have to admit it, the ex-ESPN employee could somewhat foresee the future because his predictions for the Phoenix Suns are too good to be true.
Adrian Wojnarowski’s past predictions on Phoenix Suns make a comeback
There was a time when Adrian Wojnarowski dropped his ‘Woj Bombs’ that startled the NBA world. Now, he’s retired from those tasks, but the words he’s left behind are echoing through the terrains of the league. Once upon a time, the Houston Rockets were desperate to get Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. What was that to mean for the Phoenix Suns? “If you’re the Suns and you decide that you want to move off of either of those players in the coming years, you want to get your picks back,” Woj noted.
The Suns face a ticking clock. If their current run ends by 2027-29, they risk becoming a lottery team—without owning their picks. “That’s why Brooklyn was trying to get their picks back,” a reminder of how valuable future assets are.
For the Rockets, their goal in acquiring the Suns’ draft picks last year was to eventually acquire Kevin Durant or Devin Booker.
As @wojespn said in one of his final reports, Houston’s opportunity to strike with Phoenix will be a lot sooner than expected. pic.twitter.com/lFWCMDeGN8
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) February 26, 2025
Across the league, Suns picks hold serious weight, and the Rockets may have more moves in mind. With an aging core and limited depth, sustaining success won’t be easy. As Wojnarowski put it, “They’re probably not going to get many more cracks to keep this group together as is.” For now, Phoenix is betting on Mike Budenholzer to turn things around—but in the NBA, nothing stays still for long.
Meanwhile, Kevin Durant’s future with the Suns hangs by a thread. Trade talks swirl and age may be a factor, but his talent is timeless. Meanwhile, Phoenix faces a harsh reality as time is running out for them. With their championship window shrinking and draft picks gone, every move matters. Whether Durant stays or leaves, one thing is clear—the Suns can’t afford to waste another season.
The post Kevin Durant’s Trade Plan Could Backfire Massively as Adrian Wojnarowski’s Old Prediction About Suns Star Unearths appeared first on EssentiallySports.