The craziness of the NBA trade deadline is upon us, and by 3 p.m. EST on Thursday, we’ll know which players are on the move and which teams are staying put as they finalize their rosters for the second half of the season.
Some teams are looking to bolster their lineups in hopes of making a postseason run, while others have accepted their fate after nearly 50 games. However, two teams shrouded in unpredictability are the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns.
Both teams have shown interest in improving their rosters, with rumors swirling about each team pursuing Miami Heat guard Jimmy Butler.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Warriors have made calls on nearly every star player potentially available, including Kevin Durant. With just over 24 hours left until the trade deadline, the possibility of a Durant and Stephen Curry reunion in Golden State has started to heat up.
Ahead of the trade deadline, ESPN NBA analyst Brian Windhorst appeared on “Get Up” to discuss the latest developments surrounding the Warriors and Suns, who are reportedly negotiating a potential deal.
“They’re at the deadline now,” said Windhorst “They have no Bradley Beal trade to work with, and at 25-24, with an aggressive owner, they’re examining their team and realizing it’s not working. They can’t trade Beal, Durant has one year left on his contract, so now the Warriors are considering whether they should trade for Durant. They’ve started discussing that with teams around the league.”
Windhorst added, “Now, looking to the Bay Area: The Warriors are 25-24, a veteran team underachieving, and struggling to make a move for a star. But they have an aggressive owner who won’t stand for this. So, now the Warriors and the Suns are talking about the possibility of bringing Durant back.”
Durant and Curry spent three seasons together on the court in Golden State, winning two NBA championships before Durant suffered an Achilles injury in the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. A potential reunion would be monumental, especially after the two also won gold together in the Paris Olympics last summer.
Feb 10, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) and Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) talk during the second half at Chase Center.
John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
Windhorst concluded by noting that such a deal would be highly complicated and could involve as many as four or five teams to make it work. There’s also a possibility that Jimmy Butler could be part of the deal, especially with the Heat looking to move on from him after he requested a trade over a month ago.
As the deadline looms, one thing seems clear: Stephen Curry will almost certainly remain a Warrior, and Devin Booker will likely stay in Phoenix. However, both the Warriors and Suns appear to be in similar positions, feeling the urgency to make a significant move before the deadline hits.
