Sources: Kevin Durant trade not in plans as Suns mull firing Frank Vogel

The Suns are committed to contending for, and ultimately winning, a championship. As a result, the organization has no plans to entertain the idea of moving Durant during the offseason, sources said, and they will do what it takes to ensure everyone is on the same page about the course of attack for 2024-25 season. With roster changes bound to occur, the hierarchy of the organization believes in the trio of Durant, Booker, and Beal.

There is no denying that the Suns’ star trio struggled to reach their potential during the postseason, ultimately leading to them being swept by the Timberwolves in the opening round. But there is no reason for panic within the walls of the organization, especially given that Durant and Booker are among the very best in the league as All-NBA-caliber talents. Ishbia believed Durant was the clear path to a championship when the Suns traded for him last offseason, which is why that belief has not wavered away after one year.

The main focus for Durant heading into the 2024-25 season now becomes what Phoenix ultimately decides to do about his future. Booker is under contract through the 2027-28 season and is not going anywhere anytime soon. Beal owns a no-trade clause and is locked up through the 2026-27 season. Durant is the big question mark in the Suns’ offseason equation since he has two years remaining on his current contract and he is going to be extension eligible beginning July 8.

Entering the offseason, the Suns do not have any reason to give up Durant and tear down a roster they have worked hard to build. Down the line after this upcoming summer, trading Durant is a scenario that could present itself to Phoenix. After giving Booker a massive extension last summer and recently putting pen to paper on a new $70 million extension for sharpshooter Grayson Allen, one can assume that Ishbia and the Suns are already discussing what they will offer Durant on a new extension in July. Set to turn 36 at the start of training camp in September, Durant and the Suns can agree to a one-year, near $60 million extension to keep him under contract through the 2026-27 season, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

Should this type of deal be offered to Durant, he will have no reason not to accept it. The 14-time All-Star worked his way back from an Achilles injury in 2019 and he is still one of the most dominant offensive players in the league. Cashing in on his value now, before the end of his career, makes the most sense. At the same time, does Durant truly believe in the direction the Suns are heading as a franchise? If there are doubts here, perhaps the two-time Finals MVP wishes not to sign an extension just yet. From the Suns’ perspective, if they have their own doubts about the long-term direction of the franchise with Durant, then they may hold off on offering this type of extension.

Ultimately, the easiest path to everyone being happy and moving forward after a disastrous season is Durant getting this near $60 million extension from the Suns. This is the first big chance for Ishbia and the Suns to show Durant that they value his leadership and production. Anything short of this extension from the Suns will be a turning point for this organization, one that will begin to open up the door of possibilities for Durant wanting out in a similar way to how things unfolded with the Brooklyn Nets.

One of the biggest reasons for the Suns’ downfall this season was due to the inconsistencies they faced on a nightly basis in terms of executing their offense. There were too many times where Durant was not featured enough in the offense and he was relegated to the corner, something that frustrated him, according to The Athletic. Durant reportedly had “persistent issues” with the offense being dictated by Booker and Beal, leading to troubles with not being able to play to his strengths.

All the attention for the Suns, especially in part due to Durant’s frustrations, is now cast on Vogel’s future with the franchise.

Frank Vogel’s immediate future in Phoenix

A roster built around three superstar talents — Durant, Booker, and Beal — is not supposed to lose in the first round of the playoffs. While there are several factors that play into why Phoenix was unable to get past the Timberwolves, Vogel’s inability to find success, especially late in the season, has resulted in the Suns discussing his immediate future with the team after just one season.

Whether or not this means a coaching change is imminent in Phoenix will depend on conversations between Ishbia, Jones, and the entire front office. These conversations about Vogel will likely extend to the organization’s three stars as well, sources said, with Durant, Booker, and Beal giving their input on the morale and feeling of the team under their head coach’s leadership.

Vogel was given a five-year, $31 million contract by Ishbia and the Suns last summer. Given his championship experience with the Los Angeles Lakers and a proven track record of success in both conferences, Vogel stood out as a tested coach who would be fit to lead a roster with three of the best scorers in the league. The fact that Vogel has always been known to be a defensive-minded coach also brought a sense of stability to the Suns, seeing as that was going to be an area of focus for them to improve upon.

The Suns management and Ishbia are set to discuss Vogel’s future with the franchise. With this said, this situation is a lot different than what the Lakers are dealing with right now regarding Darvin Ham after their first-round exit at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. Whereas Ham is not expected to return for his third season in Los Angeles, Vogel’s future is very much dependent on how the organization as a whole feels about his leadership abilities, sources said.

Throughout the course of the 2023-24 season, Vogel was very vocal to the front office about wanting roster changes to be made. Specifically, Vogel presented the front office with ideas to add a true point guard to the roster, according to Turner Sports’ Chris Haynes. The problem with this proposal, at least from the management’s standpoint, was that this type of change would take the ball out of the hands of their three stars. This was a risk the Suns were not willing to take. There are also other questions that have appeared regarding whether or not the focal points of this roster respect Vogel enough for him to be their head coach and lead the team to a championship.

A decision to potentially move on from Vogel after just one season is a risk some within the organization do not wish to take, sources told ClutchPoints. It is no secret that Ishbia is still a fan of his head coach, and Vogel was very confident speaking with reporters about his job security prior to their Game 4 loss on Sunday.

“Very,” Vogel responded to being asked about his confidence of being able to go into Year 2 with the franchise. “I’ve got full support from Mat Ishbia.”

The belief among those outside the organization is that a decision on Vogel’s future as the coach of the Suns will come down to whether the three stars ultimately decide they want him back. There are a lot of mixed feelings about the job Vogel did in his first season with the Suns, which is why this uncertainty about his job security exists.

As a whole, the Suns maintain their championship belief with their roster at hand. Ishbia and Jones have no plans to move on from Durant, Booker, or Beal, and Allen is not going anywhere after signing his extension. The team also wishes to keep veteran forward Royce O’Neale on a new contract, league sources confirmed to ClutchPoints. Ishbia made it clear in March that the team held interest in bringing O’Neale back next season.

“Royce is new to the organization, has done an amazing job, everything you can think of, and Grayson has been here all year,” Ishbia claimed, via Suns reporter Duane Rankin. “He’s been a phenomenal part of the team and the organization. We hope and expect to have both of those guys back along with keeping this core team together…”

A massive tax bill and a lack of assets are what the Suns are dealing with heading into the offseason, on top of a decision to make about Vogel. Whatever Ishbia and the Suns decide to do, it will have a direct impact on Durant’s future with the organization he intends on winning a championship with. It remains a possibility that Vogel will take the brunt of the blame and be forced out of Phoenix after just one season. Then again, the chances of him returning for a second season remain just as likely.