Blockbuster Deal: Nuggets Land KD $120M + 3 YEAR??
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic are two of the best players in NBA history. The basketball legends have combined to win four MVPs, three championships and three Finals MVPs.
Durant has played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets and Suns. He won the 2014 MVP Award with OKC and back-to-back championships and Finals MVPs with Golden State in 2017 and 2018.
Meanwhile, Jokic has spent his entire career with the Nuggets. He has won three MVPs, one title and one Finals MVP.
The Suns are expected to trade Durant before the 2025 NBA Draft, which is on June 25. According to multiple reports, Durant wants to play for the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs or Miami Heat.
This NBA trade idea sends Kevin Durant to the Nuggets.
© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
However, since Durant doesn't have a no-trade clause in his contract, the Suns can trade the Texas product anywhere. Phoenix wants to get the best value in return for Durant, the 15-time All-Star who has scored the eighth most points in NBA history.
With multiple reports indicating that Houston, Miami and San Antonio are not close to trading for Durant, Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo Sports proposed that the Nuggets trade for the small forward.
O'Connor proposed that the Nuggets send Michael Porter Jr., Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther, Hunter Tyson and a 2031 first-round pick to Phoenix for Durant and Zeke Nnaji to a third team.
"This deal guts the bench, but the upside is undeniable," O'Connor wrote. "KD, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Christian Braun could overwhelm anyone. They’d just have to have some solid plans to fill out the roster with league-minimum free agents."
The Nuggets lost to the Thunder in the second round of this year's playoffs in seven games. They could be a title contender next season with Durant, 36, in the fold.
Durant remains an elite scorer. He averaged 26.6 points this season while shooting 52.7% from the field and 43.0% from 3.