The Athletic’s Sam Amick, Jon Krawczynski and Kelly Iko report that Kevin Durant prefers to be traded to either Houston or San Antonio. ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that Miami is another preferred destination.
Based on the most recent reports on the Durant saga, his next stop will be either Florida or Texas, if he has his way. While Houston has long been a rumored destination for the 15-time All-Star, the front office most recently took the approach of seeing what its current young core could offer. The Rockets were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round, but earning the two-seed in the West was a sign of significant progress being made. As for the Spurs, they’ve missed the postseason in phenom Victor Wembanyama’s two seasons in San Antonio, but there’s the expectation that he’s capable of being the face of the NBA in the future. Add in De’Aaron Fox, and there are some intriguing talents for Durant to connect with there. However, with the Suns not dealing with a trade deadline, Durant’s preference does not mean the franchise will pass on a move that would provide greater value. Miami was swept out of the playoffs by Cleveland, months after trading Jimmy Butler to the Warriors. Adding Durant would give the Heat a much-needed marquee scorer.