Kevin Durant says he will play for Team USA at 2024 Olympics

Not long ago, stars would provide a list of three or four preferred destinations, giving their team multiple potential trade partners and a chance to extract the best return. That’s given way to the “one team only” demand—see Lillard and Harden this summer, and Kevin Durant (Phoenix) last season. Even team executives who otherwise support player autonomy draw the line here. “You can’t get the contract that you want and then restrict the team from being able to extract the value of the contract if you’re not going to play [for them],” said a veteran Western Conference executive. “You can’t have all of it. None of us can. Teams must be able to maximize the values of the contracts they sign. But the hope is you’re able to do this in a way that’s in coordination and communication with the player and the agent, and it doesn’t turn adversarial.” -via The Ringer / October 2, 2023

Stevens was asked about conversations with players rumored to be in trade discussions, such as Malcolm Brogdon this summer or Jaylen Brown last summer in a potential deal for Kevin Durant. “They’re hard, but you just have real conversations,” Stevens said. “Some stuff has been talked about with the Brogdon stuff, you just have conversations about it. You understand why a person would feel angry about that. But at the same time, that’s why you have those conversations. You work together. -via Boston Globe / September 30, 2023

As has been the case since he bought the team in February, Mat Ishbia, I’m told, was very involved in this deal. Phoenix not only wanted more depth, but also players who they believed were a better fit for their Devin Booker-Kevin Durant-Bradley Beal trio. Nurkic, the 29-year-old big man who is signed through the 2025-26 campaign, was a longtime target on that front, who they’re thrilled to have landed. -via The Athletic / September 29, 2023