Kevin Durant may be packing his bags soon as trade talks heat up for the "Phoenix Suns" star. According to The Arizona Republic's insider Duane Rankin, sources indicate Durant could be traded as early as next week, potentially helping the Suns reduce their massive luxury tax burden.
"There has been a good bit of chatter this week about the Suns' willingness to explore trades involving Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale as part of the Durant discussions, sources say, to reduce their tax bill further," reported NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
The "Suns" currently operate as one of only three second-apron teams in the league, alongside the "Minnesota Timberwolves" and "Boston Celtics." Their financial situation? Not great. They assembled the NBA's most expensive roster this season.
Looking at the numbers, Durant is set to make $54.7 million in 2025-26, while Allen would earn $16.9 million and O'Neale $10.1 million that same season. Without these three contracts, the Suns could slash their spending from a projected $257.1 million to $175.5 million - dropping them below even the first apron threshold.
By the way, getting under the second apron isn't just about saving money. It would unlock several roster-building tools for the "Suns," including access to the taxpayer midlevel exception, ability to trade first-round picks seven years in advance, and using trade exceptions from combining player salaries.
The production they'd be giving up? Durant averaged 26.6 points on impressive 52.7/43/83.9 shooting splits last season, while Allen contributed 10.6 points per game and O'Neale shot 40.6% from deep.
The "Suns" front office isn't new to complex trade negotiations. After months of discussions with various teams this winter, they've become quite familiar with orchestrating multi-team deals.
Will Phoenix prioritize financial flexibility over keeping their star power intact? That's the million-dollar question - or in this case, the $257 million one.
