NBA Trade Rumors: Phoenix Suns ‘eliminated’ from Kevin Durant pursuit?

NBA Trade Rumors: According to a recent report, the Phoenix Suns have been all but eliminated from the Kevin Durant sweepstakes.

Just a few weeks ago, the Phoenix Suns were considered to be the favorites in any sweepstakes for Kevin Durant. However, much has changed on that front over the last few weeks.

Not only are the Suns not considered the favorites anymore, but recent reports suggest that they may be out of the race for KD completely. And that makes sense, considering they lost the ability to trade one of their best assets, Deandre Ayton.

Ayton signed a restricted free agent offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers a couple of weeks ago; it was quickly matched by the Suns. That means Ayton is back with the Suns and he can’t be traded until January. It also means that for one full season, Ayton will have a no-trade clause.

That will make it extremely unlikely for the Suns to be involved in any real trade talks for Durant unless they’d be willing to trade either Devin Booker or Chris Paul. But that would defeat the point of trying to get Durant in the first place.

So with the Suns out of the Durant sweepstakes, that means Phoenix will be essentially running last season back. And it’s not necessarily a worst-case scenario for the team.

Even though they had a disappointing end to last season, this is a team that finished the regular season with 64 wins. The talent is in place for the Suns; the hope is that they can continue to take steps forward when it matters most, in the postseason.

Maybe that type of embarrassment and failure is what this team needed? Maybe it will help them rally and return better next season.

That’s the opportunity that the Suns will have heading into next season. And, for now, it appears that will be without Durant on the roster.