Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns have made it clear to the league they’re open to trade offers — practically putting up a flashing neon sign. But with the 2025 NBA Draft just days away, the level of trade interest hasn’t matched the buzz.
Thanks to reports from veteran NBA journalist Marc Stein and SportsNet’s Michael Grange, we’re getting a clearer picture of where things stand — especially when it comes to trade talks involving the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat. And so far, the conversations haven’t been promising for the Suns.
Toronto was already considered an unlikely destination for Durant, and according to Grange, there are firm limits on what the Raptors are willing to give up. As he reports:
> “The reports that the Raptors are monitoring his situation are credible and make sense, given Toronto had conversations with the Suns back in February about the possibility of a Durant trade. But to cut through some of the smoke: multiple sources have confirmed to me that Raptors centre Jakob Poeltl would not be part of any deal — however unlikely a Raptors-Suns deal might be — centred around Durant.”
Poeltl was a player Phoenix had interest in at the trade deadline, but Toronto reportedly gave a “firm ‘no’” — a stance that hasn’t changed despite Phoenix continuing to ask. Stein corroborated that, noting that the Raptors are actually looking to extend Poeltl’s contract.
If acquired, Poeltl would be an ideal starting center for the Suns. The 29-year-old averaged 14.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and 2.8 assists last season. He’s played in 595 NBA games with a career shooting mark of 63%.
Meanwhile, discussions with the Heat are running into a similar wall. According to Stein, Miami is also refusing to include their promising rookie center Kel’el Ware in any package for Durant. As sources put it:
> “Just like Poeltl in Toronto, Miami is said to be firmly against including standout rookie center Kel’el Ware in their offers for Durant.”
Without Ware, Phoenix is believed to be targeting future first-round picks from the Heat to help facilitate a potential move to South Beach. Ware, the 15th pick in the 2024 Draft, showed considerable promise last season, averaging 9.3 points and 7.4 rebounds across 64 games, including 36 starts. His combination of stretch-five potential and elite rim-running ability has the Heat viewing him as a long-term piece.
Factoring in Toronto and Miami’s refusal to include starting-caliber centers, it’s evident Phoenix is struggling to extract strong value for Durant — even though he remains one of the league’s most elite scorers, despite turning 37 and entering the final year of his contract.
Durant, a 15-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer, played 145 regular-season games for the Suns, averaging 26.6 points on 52.7% shooting and 42.7% from deep.
What’s more concerning for Phoenix is the apparent lack of significant draft capital being offered by teams in the mix. Stein reports that the Suns have tried to land assets like Toronto’s No. 9 pick, Minnesota’s No. 17, or Miami’s No. 20 in Wednesday’s draft — with no success so far.
All these factors point toward a tense lead-up to draft night, with Phoenix likely pushing right up to the wire in hopes of striking a deal for Durant.
