A blockbuster reunion between Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors is starting to gain some traction less than 48 hours out from the NBA's trade deadline.
Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal has reported on Tuesday that there is "increasing belief" that Durant lands with the Warriors, potentially setting up an extraordinary homecoming nearly six years after the 2x Finals MVP left for the Brooklyn Nets in 2019.
Bradley Beal holds the key to unlocking a Warriors trade for Kevin Durant
Golden State's chances of acquiring Durant may come down to one of his teammates in Bradley Beal. Yes, it's Beal that holds the key to a lot of what is going on in regard to multiple players ahead of the deadline, thanks almost exclusively to his no-trade clause.
John Gambadoro -- a long-time sports talk radio show host in Phoenix -- says that a potential Durant move is dependent on what happens with Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler who's sole intention is to get to the Suns over the next two days.
I said yesterday the Warriors have been aggressive in looking to see if the Suns would move KD. The Suns have gotten calls from quite a few teams on KD. I think a lot depends on if they can land Butler or not. https://t.co/u30Ucp42el
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) February 4, 2025
However, Beal's no-trade clause and his exorbitant contract continue to be a major hurdle the Suns haven't been able to jump in order to make a Butler deal work. The 6x All-Star can try and push his way to Phoenix as much as he wants -- which includes telling Golden State that he wouldn't re-sign if they were to trade for him -- but it won't happen without Beal's approval to going elsewhere.
If the Suns can't find a way to turn Beal into Butler, then it makes sense that they could look to pivot. After all, this is a team that sits alongside the Warriors with a 25-24 record, yet does so with the league's highest payroll and with very little in the way of future assets.
From Gambadoro's post, there appears to be a couple of scenarios that could play out. One is that they could use Durant as a means, instead of Beal, to get Butler and additional assets in what could be a 3-team trade.
The other course of action could be to do a more significant reset, understanding that this version of the team has run it's course given they can't move Beal without his agreement. Perhaps they then raid as much as they can from the Warriors in exchange for Durant, with the idea that Golden State's future picks would be more valuable than a team like the Houston Rockets.
Whichever scenario plays out, the Warriors best hope of acquiring Durant seemingly comes from Beal holding steadfast in his desire to remain in Phoenix, and rejecting any move to go elsewhere.