Texas legend Kevin Durant fears Suns will backstab him, trade him to unwanted destination

The Kevin Durant saga has been unfolding since around February, but trade talks have intensified over the past week. It’s become increasingly clear that Durant no longer sees a future in Phoenix—it’s now just a matter of where he ends up. That destination could be a team he wants to join, or it could be somewhere he has no desire to go.

Durant and the Suns have been working through the situation as collaboratively as possible, but at the end of the day, it’s a business—so anything can happen.

“The Phoenix Suns and Kevin Durant's business partner, Boardroom CEO Rich Kleiman, have met multiple times over the past week and are sifting through trade scenarios, sources told ESPN on Wednesday,” ESPN’s Shams Charania said.

There are three teams reportedly at the top of Durant’s list, each with its own appeal.

“Late Saturday night, ESPN reported that Kevin Durant has three preferred destinations: the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs. The timing of that reporting was, to say the least, a tad conspicuous,” CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn wrote.

If Durant ends up in Miami, there’s a strong chance he could receive the contract extension that Jimmy Butler once pushed for.

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“So if Miami, then Durant would get the extension money that didn’t go to Butler. If,” South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman wrote.

However, not everyone believes Durant will land where he wants. Marc J. Spears suggested the Suns might send him somewhere against his wishes, potentially betraying his trust.

“[Kevin Durant] definitely doesn’t want to go to Minnesota. But I think there is some fear from him & Rich Kleiman that—They’re hoping that there’s going to be respect at Kevin’s age to give him want he wants rather than try to trade him like he’s 31 years old,” Spears said.

Although Minnesota isn’t among Durant’s top three destinations, they might offer the strongest trade package. And at the end of the day, that’s what most organizations prioritize. The Suns could very well betray Durant and send him somewhere he doesn’t want to go.