As the Phoenix Suns’ pursuit of Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler reclaims the marquee ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, the Golden State Warriors have emerged as a potential suitor for Kevin Durant, throwing a new twist into this tumultuous saga.
Here’s the latest:
- The Suns have tried to find a taker for Bradley Beal but have failed. Beal, who holds a no-trade clause, can veto any deal. Between Beal’s no-trade clause and his onerous contract, the Suns have failed to find a landing spot.
- Teams across the league have called the reeling Suns (25-24, ninth in the West) about Kevin Durant, according to multiple reports.
- The Warriors, known to be aggressively looking for an upgrade before the deadline, have emerged as a potential landing spot for Durant, who could return to the Bay Area after leaving as a free agent in 2019.
- The Heat have had conversations this week with the Suns and Warriors about trading for Butler.
Getting Durant in a deal for Butler is a dream scenario for the Heat. Durant, 35, is averaging 26.9 points on 52.4% shooting, 6.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists.
The problem is that – on paper – the Warriors can beat Miami’s best offer.
A Golden State offer would likely include Andrew Wiggins, more salary and draft compensation. Unlike the Heat, who have only one tradeable first, the Warriors have two (2025, 2027) and can offer swap rights on another.
The other issue: Because of Phoenix’s position as a second apron team, they are limited in how much salary they can take back in a trade. If the Suns take Butler in a Durant trade, the best player the Heat can include in a deal in Nikola Jovic. (Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kel’el Ware make too much money based on their draft slots.)
Meanwhile, the Warriors can include Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga, who has more leaguewide value than Jovic. The Warriors would also have to include other, smaller salaries to make a deal work under salary-matching rules.
The Heat need Kevin Durant to navigate his way to Miami.
So, given that the Warriors can trump any Heat offer for Durant… how does Durant end up in Miami? There are two main avenues here:
1. The Warriors don’t include Kuminga in a deal, forcing the Warriors to decide between Golden State’s package of role players and picks, or a Butler-based package from Miami.
2. Durant exercises his leverage in this situation. Like De’Aaron Fox was able to call his shot and navigate his way to San Antonio, Durant is in a similar position. Like Fox, Durant is also up for an extension and can enter free agency in 2026. Fox signaled to the league that he aimed to make his way to the Spurs and could turn down extensions from other teams. Those other teams could have balked at the idea of trading value for Fox, for him to leave 18 months later.
Durant can do the same, but it comes down to how he feels about leaving Phoenix and returning to the Bay Area. Would Durant, who left the Warriors on somewhat rocky terms in 2019, be willing to reunite with Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Steve Kerr? How would he view a return after leaving to win a championship on his terms and failing? Would it be a heroic homecoming, or an admission of failure?
Meanwhile, Durant has been open to a trade to Miami in the past. When he requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets in 2023, Durant listed Phoenix and Miami as his preferred destinations. Durant has a relationship with Bam Adebayo from their time together on Team USA, including this past summer.
If Durant makes it clear that he would not re-sign in Golden State and prefers to trade to Miami, the Heat could gain a significant advantage in trade talks.
It wouldn’t guarantee anything (the Warriors could still trade for him with the goal of competing for the rest of this season and next season), but the Warriors have also talked a lot about protecting their future.
There are a lot of moving parts and interests involved. Talks are ongoing. Speculation is persistent. The trade deadline is 3 p.m. ET on Thursday.