Kevin Durant trade only makes sense for the Spurs under this circumstance

San Antonio needs to be careful.

Jordanna Clark

San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, Kevin Durant / Meg Oliphant/GettyImages

The San Antonio Spurs were one of the teams interested in Kevin Durant before the deadline, and could circle back on the superstar this summer. The front office could offer the Suns a combination of draft assets and young players for Durant, but that doesn't mean the Spurs should jump on the opportunity to do so. A trade should happen only if it's at a discount.

San Antonio doesn't need Durant, and certainly shouldn't give overpay for him, as he'll turn 37 before the season starts. The Spurs are on Victor Wembanyama's timeline, and he's 21. He's already one of the best players in the league, leading to stars (like KD) wanting to play alongside him. Imagine Durant winning a title to end his career in the same state where he played college basketball.

Durant will go down as one of the best players of all time, but San Antonio would be right to be cautious about a trade. He isn't the player he once was, but he's still Kevin Durant, and his injury history is a red flag. Phoenix won't receive the return package it wants for those two reasons. No, the Suns won't get the No. 2 pick for Durant; however, the No. 14 pick could be in play.

Spurs don't need to overpay for Kevin Durant in a trade

San Antonio traded for De'Aaron Fox before the deadline without giving up a key member of its young core. If the Spurs could trade for Durant without giving up Stephon Castle or Devin Vassell, it's something the front office should seriously consider. A deal could involve Jeremy Sochan, and it'd be tough to see him go, but San Antonio couldn't get by with fleecing Phoenix entirely.

The pressure is on the Suns, not the Spurs. Phoenix needs to trade KD to gain some financial flexibility. Mat Ishbia refuses to trade Devin Booker, so Durant is the team's best option to begin climbing out of the hole they dug themselves into. They're not going to get anything close to what they gave up to get him from the Nets in 2023. If the Suns are delusional enough to think they can (and, knowing them, they might), they will be sorely disappointed.

Phoenix reportedly wants to trade Durant before the draft, which is only two weeks away. Will KD be a Spur when the dust clears? Stay tuned to see if Brian Wright can work his magic again.

Jordanna Clark

Jordanna Clark is a full-time editor in the NBA Division of FanSided. She started as a fellow and earned a full-time position in November 2021, running Daily Knicks for three years before moving on to cover the entire league. She graduated from the University of North Carolina in 2018. Her past stops include Georgetown University and the Washington Commanders. In her spare time, Jordanna enjoys watching the Steelers (depending on the week), reading, going to yoga, and running.