Remember when the Grizzlies supposedly inquired about Kevin Durant at the trade deadline, and ESPN's Bob Meyers insinuated that Durant declined the opportunity to be traded to Memphis? Well, he remained on the Phoenix Suns for the rest of the season after he apparently said no to trades to other teams, including the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets.
Kevin Durant doesn't have a no-trade clause, so he technically doesn't hold all the cards to determine where he can be traded. However, his upcoming expiring $54.7 million contract would make teams pause if either he or they aren't looking to trade for a short-term rental.
Despite the Suns missing the playoffs this season, Durant averaged 26.6 points on 52.7% shooting from the field and 43% from three at age 36. He can still fill it up in the scoring column and rebound well, as he averaged six rebounds. Would the Grizzlies be wise to inquire about the two-time champion again?
The Grizzlies should absolutely reach out about Durant again
The likelihood of the Grizzlies obtaining a player of Kevin Durant's status with his career accolades is slim without a trade. Information changed quickly for Memphis this season as they were likely going to center a trade around former guard Marcus Smart to strike a deal for the future Hall of Famer.
Instead of attempting to bring in Durant to team with Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr., they will need to trade one of their core 3 players to obtain him. The likeliest player to go in this scenario, and nearly all for any star player, is Bane. He is the likeliest because of his contract (36.7 million this upcoming season) and status as the third of their "big 3."
Swapping out Bane for Durant would constitute a true big 3 for Memphis with three All-Star level players, including one who can score efficiently from all three levels of the court. The problem the Grizzlies would face in attempting a deal would be their package being the best to offer, likely a third team to be involved to trade Bane to (Phoenix has two shooting guards already), and Durant's willingness to finish his career in Memphis.
Sure, he doesn't have a no-trade clause in his contract, but best believe he will have a say-so in where he gets traded to. Also, the Grizzlies have to determine how many of their draft picks and young guys they are willing to trade for the 15-time All-Star. If the Grizzlies want to seriously become a championship contender, and Durant wants to have another shot at winning a title before he retires, the two sides should embrace a union.