Mock Trade: Kevin Durant Gets OKC Thunder Reunion in Win-Now Move

The Oklahoma City Thunder have the chance to make an all-in move and in Bleacher Report's latest Mock Trade, Kevin Durant gets a Bricktown reunion.

Mar 3, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) go for the ball during the second quarter at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder are poised to be aggressive this summer. With a 57-win ball club, a young core primed to be contenders for years to come - Given that Oklahoma City has top-five in the league cap space, a mountain of draft picks and roster flexibility it puts top-decision maker Sam Presti in a spot to push some of his chips in, should the Thunder choose to go that direction.

With that in mind, it is easy to see why Oklahoma City is linked to every available player from external sources and the mock trades are coming fast and furious - There is no team where it is easier to get a green accept notification on the trade machine for than the OKC Thunder - and the latest from Bleacher Report sees a reunion with a franchise legend.

The Mock Trade: OKC Thunder receives Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns receive Lu Dort, Josh Giddey, Jaylin Williams, No. 12 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 first-round pick (Via Dallas)

This is a large sum to pay with a sticker shock that will make the average Thunder observer shutter. Rightfully so, under this hypothetical scenario Durant would have demanded a trade, likely put out a shortlist of teams he is willing to play for and neutered any leverage Phoenix has.

When breaking down what the Thunder are truly giving up, three first-round picks is a bit steep though a price OKC can afford to pay without emptying their treasure chest of assets. Moving on from Josh Giddey at some point seems logical for both sides as Giddey would immediately enjoy a career year with the Suns playing in an on-ball role he belongs in while allowing OKC to get a better fit in his place.

Jaylin Williams is a nice flyer for the Suns as a backup big man option for a team still strapped for cash and needing cost-controlled talent - while the life of the Thunder locker room if this is. the price for one of the best players to ever play the game, it is one you willfully pay.

A difficult portion of this swap would be handing Lu Dort to the Suns, which is banking on the development of youngster Cason Wallace - who the Suns would likely prefer in a hypothetical trade. Relying on a sophomore to be your perimeter stopper in a star-driven, offense overdrive league would at least be a minor risk.

Ultimately, when push comes to shove, the benefit of what Durant still is at age 35 would be worth it - as the storylines of a homecoming would be show-stopping and Durant represents the perfect power forward for Oklahoma City's system it just does not seem likely.

Almost assuredly Durant would want to land back in Bricktown in a hypothetical trade demand based on his limited flirting with the organization over the years via praise and relationship with rising star Chet Holmgren, but one question would be if that feeling is mutual and the second question is would the NBA legend even demand a trade this summer?

The Suns are also incentivized to simply run it back rather than let the wheels of this expensive core fall off right underneath this still-young ownership group.

Despite the joy it is to drum up these fake trades, a reunion with Durant this summer is still hard to picture at the moment. However, things change on a dime in the modern NBA - the current-day soap opera.

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