Windhorst: The Suns plan to trade Durant in the offseason, and the player himself knows about it

According to ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst, the Phoenix Suns plan to trade 36-year-old Kevin Durant during the offseason. Durant knows this very well and has reached a basic consensus with the Suns.

The Suns have a sluggish record this season, currently ranking 11th in the Western Conference with 27 wins and 31 losses. They are one of the teams with the highest salary and luxury tax expenses in the league, but they are still facing a hopeless situation in the playoffs.

As the hope of the playoffs becomes increasingly slim, the Suns management began to consider rebuilding the lineup. Brian Windhorst said on the "NBA Today" program that trading Durant has become part of the rebuilding plan. Durant has played a total of 45 times this season, averaging 26.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.36 blocks per game, with a shooting percentage of 53.0% and a three-point shooting percentage of 40.2%. Despite his overall excellent performance, the lack of hope for the playoffs has greatly shaken the Suns' trust in him.

Salary is also one of the factors that the Suns consider trading Durant. Durant will enter the final year of his contract this summer, when his salary will be $54.71 million. If he is traded away, the Suns will save a considerable amount of money.

Some analysts believe that another Suns star Devin Booker may also be traded, but Brian Windhorst disagrees. He pointed out that Booker, 28, is at the peak of his career and his contract will last until 2028. Considering that Booker has spent his entire career with the Suns, the fans' reaction to his departure may be completely different from Durant's. Overall, the most likely choice for the Suns is to keep Booker and rebuild the lineup around him.