Kevin Durant Trade Rumors: Mavs Reportedly ‘Very Aggressive’ Following Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic Deal
Mavericks Reportedly Made Aggressive Pursuit for Kevin Durant Before Trade Deadline
The Dallas Mavericks made a strong push to acquire Phoenix Suns superstar forward Kevin Durant ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
Speaking on The Putback, SNY’s Ian Begley revealed the Mavs were “very aggressive” as recently as Wednesday, attempting to involve multiple teams in a complex deal to potentially land Durant.
The Mavericks had already made waves earlier by trading Luka Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick.
Trade speculation surrounding Durant intensified this week when the Suns ruled him out of Wednesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to an ankle sprain.
While the Golden State Warriors were reportedly among the top contenders for Durant, ESPN’s Shams Charania and Ohm Youngmisuk noted that Durant had “no desire” to return to the team where he won two championships from 2016 to 2019.
Despite the Mavs’ efforts, Phoenix opted to retain Durant, and no deal materialized before the deadline.
Durant, 36, was initially acquired by the Suns in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets during the 2022-23 season. Paired with Bradley Beal and Devin Booker, Phoenix had high hopes but was eliminated in the first playoff round last season. They currently sit at a mediocre 25-25.
Durant’s individual performance has been stellar, averaging 26.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.4 three-pointers, and 1.3 blocks per game this season.
It remains unclear what the Mavericks would have offered for Durant and his $51.1 million salary. Speculation suggests the package might have included Klay Thompson, PJ Washington, and Daniel Gafford.
With Durant staying put, the Mavericks now move forward with a star-studded lineup featuring Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and supporting players such as Thompson, Washington, Gafford, Christie, Caleb Martin, and Naji Marshall.
After last season’s NBA Finals appearance, where they lost to the Boston Celtics in five games, Dallas hopes to build on its 26-25 record and make another strong playoff run. A potential trio of Davis, Irving, and Durant could have made them Western Conference favorites, but even without Durant, the Mavs remain poised to compete at a high level.
