Kevin Durant has asked for a trade from the Nets, and his preferred teams are the Heat and Suns. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Nets G.M. Sean Marks and business manager Rich Kleiman are searching for the best deal possible to benefit the Nets and the two-time NBA champion. This latest breaking news story is a big deal because Durant is one of the most impactful players in the league.
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Teams with the best odds to win the 2023 NBA Championship
Moreover, it makes sense why Durant prefers either the Suns or Heat. Both teams have top 10 odds of winning the 2023 NBA championship. After the Thunder lost in seven games against the Warriors in the 2016 Western Conference Finals, it didn’t take long for Durant to pick his next team. Of course, he signed a multi-year contract with Golden State in the 2016 offseason.
Then, the Warriors went on to win two more championships, and Durant won two Finals MVPs. One thing is for sure, whichever team Durant gets traded to, either the Heat or Suns could become the conference favorite to win the 2023 NBA championship. Retrieved from BetOnline, the top contenders’ championship odds for the 2022-23 NBA season are featured below.
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Making the case for Kevin Durant to sign with the Suns
First off, the Suns finished 64-18 (.780) last season, ranking first overall in the Western Conference. After beating the Lakers in their season finale, they set a franchise record in wins with 64 total victories. However, they went on to lose in seven games against the Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs. Following their first-round series win over the Pelicans, fans were expecting the Suns to at least make the conference finals.
The 2021-22 Suns became only the third team in NBA history to have 64 or more wins and not reach the conference finals. In a total of 68 games played in the regular season, Devin Booker averaged 26.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. The guard averaged 23.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists against the Mavericks in the second round. But he needed more help.
Kevin Durant is the missing piece for Phoenix. If center Deandre Ayton leaves this offseason, the Suns won’t be the same team next season offensively without another solid rebounder and scorer like Durant. Ayton averaged 17.9 points per game last season, and he led the team in rebounds, averaging 8.9 rebounds per game. It’s all the more reason why Suns G.M. James Jones needs to negotiate with Durant’s agent and the Nets.
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Would the Heat be a good fit for Durant?
Lastly, Durant might wish to remain in the Eastern Conference. The Warriors just won their fourth NBA title in eight years. If Durant’s goal is to win another ring, staying in the East is the easier path back to the Finals. In 55 games played last season, the two-time MVP averaged 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game with the Nets. An argument can be made that Kyrie Irving’s drama last season held back the Nets.
The Heat still have Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. According to multiple sources, P.J. Tucker will sign a three-year, $30 million contract with the 76ers. So, considering Tucker is probably gone, Durant would be a perfect fit down in Miami. After losing in seven games against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, the team is not far off from winning another title.
At least the Heat can win championships with superstar players. LeBron James won two rings with the Heat, playing alongside Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade. That’s one thing Durant can think about. The Suns are notorious for collapsing in the postseason. Phoenix has never won an NBA championship. If it comes down to these two teams, Kevin Durant is better off picking the Heat.
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