Clippers' trade proposal for Kevin Durant as rumors ramp up
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Rumors involving Kevin Durant and his inevitable trade are starting to ramp up. The Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, and New York Knicks appear to be Durant's most likely landing spots, with the former team reportedly being the most aggressive pursuer.
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However, reports suggest that Durant doesn't want to play in Minnesota, and the Spurs, Rockets, and Heat aren't offering the Phoenix Suns a big enough package. This means that Durant very well may end up with a sleeper team. So could the Los Angeles Clippers make a deal for Durant?
Clippers' possible trade package for Kevin Durant
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Clippers receive: Kevin Durant
Suns receive: Norman Powell, Cam Christie, Kobe Brown, Drew Eubanks, Bogdan Bogdanovic, 2029 first-round pick (outside of top three), 2031 first-round pick
The Western Conference is stacked. Despite losing in the first round of the playoffs, the Clippers had a great season that exceeded a lot of expectations after they let Paul George walk in free agency.
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Kawhi Leonard and James Harden are still among the best players in the NBA when they are healthy, and Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac had breakout seasons that led the Clippers to earn the five-seed.
Los Angeles can't stand pat if they are to keep up with the rest of the conference, though, especially considering Cooper Flagg is bound for the Dallas Mavericks, and the Milwaukee Bucks could trade Giannis Antetokounmpo out West. Durant is one of the biggest names on the trade block, and the Clippers should consider trading for him.
Durant is a former MVP and a 15-time All-Star. He is 36 years old, but he hasn't really shown any signs of slowing down. The former No. 2 overall pick averaged 26.6 points per game this past season and is still one of the best three-level scorers in the NBA.
He is on the trade block because the Suns haven't been able to make the big three of him, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal work. The Suns shopped Durant ahead of the trade deadline, but a deal never came to fruition.
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Durant would form a new big three with the Clippers with even more talent than the one he had in Phoenix. Durant has already teamed up with Harden with both the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Brooklyn Nets, so everybody knows they can work together. Their relationship doesn't seem to be fractured despite Harden's rocky end in Brooklyn, either.
What could scare the Clippers off is that they are still suffering the repercussions of going all in for a superstar wing with versatility. Los Angeles traded tons of draft capital and a player who'd eventually become the MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander when they dealt for George.
A Durant trade won't cost as much, but they'd still be giving up valuable draft capital and solid rotation pieces/depth. The 2029 and 2031 NBA Drafts are a ways out, and considering the Clippers have an older core, the picks that they are giving away could end up becoming premium picks by the time they'd convey to the Suns.
Where will Kevin Durant be traded?
The Clippers have a decent trade package to offer the Suns. Powell averaged 21.8 points per game in a season where he was in the running for the Most Improved Player award.
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Bogdan Bogdanovic also has a proven track record as a scorer. The Serbian is one of the best bench scorers in the NBA. Even Cam Christie and Kobe Brown are developmental options that could break out on a rebuilding team, which the Suns may become after dealing Durant.
However, the Clippers don't have the biggest trade package to offer. Teams such as the Spurs and Rockets have a bunch of draft picks and young players that they could use in a trade. While their offers may be underwhelming as of now, the Suns may eventually have to agree to one of their trade proposals because their relationship with Durant has already soured.
The Suns may also go against Durant's wishes and trade him to a spot that he doesn't necessarily want to go to. This could be risky for a trading team because Durant only has one more year on his contract, but he has already vetoed trades to the Golden State Warriors and now the Timberwolves. The Spurs, Rockets, and Heat are atop Durant's wish list as of now.
The Suns may grow tired of his pickiness, or Durant may have a change of heart in terms of where he is willing to end up. Either way, a Durant trade seems inevitable, and a good chunk of the league will be in on the pursuit of the Texas product.
Related: Former Kings GM Monte McNair joining Clippers front office
Related: NBA rumors: Clippers' stance on trading Ivica Zubac in Kevin Durant deal
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