Suns Could Prioritize Flexibility Away From 2nd Apron In Kevin Durant Trade

With the Phoenix Suns anticipated to commerce Kevin Durant this offseason, they’re anticipated to contemplate a commerce bundle in return that gives them flexibility to get out from below the second apron. In doing so, the Suns can have extra mechanisms accessible to them to enhance their roster round Devin Booker. 

The Suns have already been eradicated from playoff competition heading into the ultimate weekend of the common season regardless of a mixed payroll and luxurious tax of over $400 million. 

The mannequin they may think about using was additionally utilized by the Los Angeles Clippers final offseason once they determined not solely to not re-sign Paul George, but additionally decline potential commerce packages that might have allowed them to recoup belongings. The Clippers prioritized dipping under the second apron they usually had been capable of be lively on the free company market in consequence and at the moment are within the Western Convention playoff image. 

“Once you take a look at this Kevin Durant commerce, they will have to noticeably contemplate buying and selling Kevin Durant for flexibility,” stated Brian Windhorst on First Tackle Thursday. “It is a new idea within the NBA. And I may perceive you hear me say that and also you go ‘What are you speaking about? What are you speaking about commerce for flexibility? I need 4 first spherical draft picks. I need three nice younger gamers. I need a man who’s going to return in and be on All-NBA…

“No, I am telling you, they will in all probability have to noticeably contemplate buying and selling Kevin Durant to get out of jail. That means, get out of the second apron. Get their skill to maneuver and repair their roster. As a result of the rationale that is so problematic is as a result of they do not have the power to mess with their roster.

“And I’ll let you know, who has been some of the profitable groups of 2024-25? The reply is the LA Clippers. And the LA Clippers traded Paul George for flexibility. You’ll say to me, ‘They did not even commerce Paul George. They let Paul George stroll away. There was no commerce concerned there.’

“Sure, there was. They may have traded Paul George to the Warriors. They may have signed and traded him some place else they usually stated ‘We won’t be within the second apron anymore. The one approach that we are able to repair our staff is by getting flexibility again.’

“And they also advised Paul George, ‘Thanks and good luck to you.’ They usually rebuilt their roster and retrofitted their roster across the stars that they nonetheless had with higher becoming items utilizing the flexibleness.

“And so I am telling you, we’ll be speaking about this so much over the subsequent couple of months. Once you go to your Commerce Machine, you are gonna have to consider Kevin Durant trades in a different way as a result of how massive of a catastrophe that is.”

Durant could anticipate to have some degree of management over which staff he’s traded to with an extension thought of an inevitability, however it could find yourself extra difficult than that.

“Kevin Durant may get used as an expiring contract,” stated Windhorst. “What I imply by that’s he is making $55 million subsequent 12 months, a staff could take him understanding that he is a rental. Or a staff may take him in an effort to dump wage someplace. And that is not a commentary on Kevin Durant as a participant. That is not a commentary on what he might be on a staff. That is a commentary on what it means to commerce a participant who makes $55 million, who desires a contract extension in an apron period. And so this Durant commerce goes to be a referendum on groups which can be working within the actuality of 2025.”