And yet, the deal still underwhelmed. Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the No. 10 pick represent only a fraction of the value that the Suns paid to get Durant in 2023, and do little to launch the rebuild the Suns needed. This raises a few important questions surrounding the negotiations, starting with why Phoenix would even take so little.

During the 2024-25 NBA season with Phoenix, Durant played in 62 games. He ended up averaging 26.6 points per game to go along with six rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.2 blocks, while shooting 52.7 percent from the floor and knocking down 43 percent of his three-point attempts.