The Athletic's Jovan Buha rejected the potential Lakers-Suns trade for Kevin Durant, suggesting it may be mere speculation as the proposed deal would require too many valuable assets for LA and it could still not be enough for Phoenix.
The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly among several teams expected to pursue a trade for Kevin Durant this offseason, alongside the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, and Miami Heat.
However, Jovan Buha of The Athletic has raised doubts, suggesting that the buzz around the LA Lakers' interest in Phoenix Suns superstar may just be a tactic to generate clicks.
"I have not heard anything about the Lakers being interested in Kevin Durant," Buha said on his latest podcast. "I think that might just be a situation where someone throws the Lakers out there to get some buzz with it.
"For the Lakers, a hypothetical trade for KD would have to be something like Austin [Reaves], Rui [Hachimura], Dalton [Knecht], Gabe [Vincent], Maxi [Kleber], a pick, and a couple pick swaps. That's a lot," he added.
"The Lakers are basically giving up everything that they could trade. For KD, you can make that case, but if you're Phoenix, if you have an open bidding with at least multiple teams, you can get more than that."
At its core, Buha argued, the proposed trade amounts to Reaves, Hachimura, Knecht, a pick, and two pick swaps, which may not be valuable enough for the Suns.
"I don't even really see how this works for the Lakers to pull off," Buha said. "I don't see why Phoenix would do that, unless KD specifically says I want to go there."
Before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, teams like the Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Golden State Warriors expressed interest in acquiring Durant. However, any potential deals fell through after Durant made it clear he wasn't looking to leave Phoenix.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst has suggested that a trade is very likely this summer, stating, "They're gonna trade [KD], and he knows that."
The 36-year-old Durant is set to earn $54.7 million next season, the final year of his contract.
This season, he is averaging 26.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 49 games. If he were to join the LA Lakers, it would mark a reunion with LeBron James, with whom he won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics last summer.
Lebron may also need to take a pay cut for KD to join the Lakers, as the team would need to replace the assets they traded away. However, reports indicate that the 40-year-old James is not inclined to make that sacrifice.
Durant, a four-time scoring champion and two-time NBA champion, has played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, and now Suns throughout his career.
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