NBA News: Warriors’ interest in Kevin Durant warms up – but not without competition

Rumors of Kevin Durant, who is reunited with Steph Curry in the bay, warms up – but the competition for Durant’s services rises before the hour.

Per an article in the athletic By Sam Amick, Anthony Slater and David Aldridge, Durant has been on several teams’ radar as the trade deadline approaches. Golden State Warriors is not alone in their persecution – allegedly Dallas Maverickswho recently did the unthinkable by sending the franchise cornerstone Luka Dončić to Los Angeles Lakers For Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 election of the first round, have also asked about Durant with the hope of reuniting him with earlier Brooklyn Nets Teammate Kyrie Irving.

“League makers say that Dallas Mavericks, fresh from their Luka Dončić-For-Anthony Davis Swap It sent shock waves through the association, has dreams of adding Durant to their Davis-Kyrie Irving-led group. While the likelihood of Dallas pulling out this now seems unlikely, the mere idea throws that Durant joins Dallas’ star-studded group, new light on the idea of ​​Maverick’s general manager Nico Harrison after he was ridiculed for Dončić agreement . Whether it’s Durant (now or later), or maybe even Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James in the summer, if he were to reject his player attitude for next season, 52-year-old Harrison seems to be targeting big-time stars with Who he is very well known from his past life as top Nike director. The goal, of course, is to win a championship as soon as possible. “

In addition to Mavs, Houston Rockets is also allegedly in the mixture:

“League makers say Houston Rockets if Long -term interest in Suns’ Devin Booker will probably be revised before the deadline is also known to consider a persecution of Durant. While Rockets (32-17) has not been interested in pursuing older stars like James Harden and Durant in the recent past, the impressive speed of their reconstruction may have changed the internal equation on this front. They are currently the third at the Western conference, with every reason to believe that a game -changing addition to the deadline can vault them into real title competition status. “

With Phoenix Suns Fighting to acquire Jimmy Butler-which is reportedly only interested in Suns as destination-on due to Bradley Beal’s restraint to waive his clause without trade, they are increasingly considering agreements involving Durant as an alternative to landing butler .

If the warriors are to bring Durant back, it may come at a steep price:

“In exploratory conversations, Warriors have only been met with an exorbitant price price in theoretical structures – essentially all of future value – considering the difficult place that Suns seems to find itself. League Judges say four-time all-star-tips Daymond Green, which has an established relationship with the fellow Michigan State Owner of Alum and Suns Mat Ishbia is among the Warriors players that Phoenix is ​​known for desire. “

On the surface it sounds like swaping Daymond Green for Durant as a no-brainer. But Green is a franchise corner that still has value on the defensive end. Curry may have a lot to say about goodbye to his long -time partner in crime, but having Durant as a replacement could more than sweetness the bitterness of Green’s potential departure.

Suns are also reportedly interested in Jonathan Kuminga:

“Suns has also indicated a level of interest for the fourth year on Jonathan Kuminga, a player that Warriors drafted seventh together in 2021, has been protective of most trade discussions for years and still considered part of the future. But Durant’s potential accessibility, and this once imaginable view of him reunited with the franchise he helped lead to two titles has a way to change the discussion. “

While a potential trade in three teams involving the Miami heat is also flowing, with Andrew Wiggins, which is potentially sent to the heat in such a scenario:

Kuminga will be a limited free agent this summer and is searching for an annual salary up to $ 30 million. Both Warriors and Suns have messed up wage structures, but both owner groups have shown a willingness to pay for players they want. Warriors also have a potential way to help butler to Phoenix if they pull in the trigger on An Andrew Wiggins-Centered Trade with Miami that has been discussed.

Whatever is the case, it will not be without its compromises and victims to bring Durant back to Golden State. But if the goal was to help Curry acquire scoring support, Warrior may as well target the biggest scorer of the time – one that is quite familiar with Curry’s trends and Steve Kerr’s intricate violation.