The NBA offseason is slowly approaching, and soon all eyes will be on superstar Kevin Durant
Durant has been at the center of conversations ever since the Phoenix Suns’ disappointing season wrapped up. What began as a promising start quickly unraveled due to injuries and a lack of team chemistry.
Despite a strong opening, the Suns struggled to maintain their early momentum and ultimately became one of the season’s biggest letdowns. With that in mind, Durant was seriously considering a move away from Phoenix
According to NBA insider Kevin O’Connor, Durant reportedly had interest in joining the Boston Celtics prior to the trade deadline.
“Durant has already been denied by his top choices. There were rumblings at the trade deadline KD wanted to land with the Celtics or Knicks. New York’s interest reportedly isn’t mutual anymore. Boston’s cap sheet and trajectory make that scenario highly unlikely.”
The 36-year-old is expected to move on to a new team this offseason, but reports suggest he had his sights set on joining one of the league’s top squads as early as February.
The Celtics would have likely needed to part ways with some of their core players. A move like that could have put them over the top, especially considering Jayson Tatum happened to tear his Achilles in the playoffs.
Adding Durant would have been a huge boost, but the Celtics simply weren’t and certainly won’t be in a position to take on his contract right now.
Heading into this offseason, the Celtics’ main focus has to be cutting salary to get below the luxury tax line and steer clear of repeater tax penalties. Projections have Boston significantly above that threshold, so it’s likely we’ll see trades involving key players as they work toward a more manageable financial situation.
Durant is slated to earn $54 million next season as he enters the final year of his contract and becomes eligible for an extension starting July 6.
Given the current situation, it seems unlikely Durant will stay in Phoenix. The Suns are expected to explore trade opportunities, aiming to get the most value possible while continuing to build around Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
