Astonishing Kevin Durant stat may lure the Spurs into a blockbuster trade

As the San Antonio Spurs prepare for the upcoming NBA Draft, rumors of a big trade persist. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, or another trade involving the number two overall pick have all been rumored, but none appear all that realistic at the moment.

Even so, according to ESPN Insider Shams Charania, the Spurs and Durant had "mutual interest" around the trade deadline.

If the Spurs are still interested in KD, then the draft might be the perfect time for the Spurs and Phoenix Suns to make a deal. Not only that, but there's a shocking stat that should give San Antonio all the more reason to get a deal done.

What would Kevin Durant cost the Spurs in a potential trade?

Spurs fans by and large have hated the idea of trading for Durant, but this stat makes a strong case for acquiring him.

Durant, despite being 36 and a half years old, is still an elite shooter and would be a basketball godsend to the Spurs. That's considering that they are one of the worst shooting teams in the NBA, with them currently having just four players that can be categorized as good shooters.

Durant averaged a staggering 38.8% on 6.0 3-pointers and an impressive 53.1% on 4.6 mid-range jumpers per game this season. Both of those numbers would be the best on the Spurs had he played with San Antonio this year. It is also reasonable to consider whether Durant's shooting numbers would be even better if he played alongside Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox.

Price is the most important aspect of a potential KD trade, and a trade package of Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Malaki Branham, the 14th pick, and a 2029 first should be fair value. The 14th pick is a valuable asset that could net the Spurs a young future rotation player, but with the second overall pick, it's more of a luxury than a necessity.

Using that as the centerpiece of a deal for KD makes sense, with the 2029 first arguably being the biggest sticking point, with the Spurs possibly needing that asset. Even so, the trade-off could be worth it.

Vassell still has the potential to be a good player, but if Fox, Castle, and Harper all thrive, his future with the team may be in jeopardy. Johnson played well during the second half of last season, but his lack of shooting exacerbates the Spurs' flaws.

With both players under contract for at least the next two seasons, there would be necessary inclusions to offset Durant's salary and inevitable extension. Giving Durant a two-year extension would keep it from overlapping with Castle and Harper extensions and would only overlap with Wembanyama's for a season.

That gives the Spurs a chance to create a super team, which is rare in the new collective bargaining agreement.

Kevin Durant should still be a trade target for the Spurs this summer

Durant has some injury concerns, but few doubt that he can still get buckets into his late 30s. If he can give the Spurs three seasons of similar production, then it would thrust the team into title contention without sacrificing their long-term plan. They'd still have Castle, they'd still have Harper, and they'd still have Wembanyama.

Simply put, the Spurs need more shooting to compete for a championship. Moving on from Vassell and Johnson would hurt, but the trade-off seems reasonable.

The Spurs could trot out a stacked lineup of Fox, Castle, Harrison Barnes, Durant, Wembanyama, Harper, Julian Champagnie, and Jeremy Sochan. They would also still have the full mid-level exception to solve their problem at backup center.

Brook Lopez seems like a perfect option there, given his shooting and rim-protecting capabilities. That would give San Antonio five shooters in a nine-man rotation, with Fox being at least a willing shooter who can make them and Castle having hope to get better.

All told, the Spurs should at least kick the tires on trading for Durant. If the Suns are reasonable in their expectations and the Spurs can get him for an affordable price, then they should absolutely pull the trigger on landing Durant this summer.