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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – FEBRUARY 08: Jimmy Butler #10 of the Golden State Warriors reacts against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at the United Center on February 08, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Two of the most discussed stars ahead of the recent NBA trade deadline were forwards Jimmy Butler and Kevin Durant.
Butler’s monthslong drama in South Beach finally ended with his trade to the Golden State Warriors, while Durant remained with the Phoenix Suns through the deadline.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, there were some NBA executives that were worried Butler or Durant would end up north of the border with the Toronto Raptors.
“Some league executives were even fearful that Toronto could have jumped into the trade frenzies that materialized last week for Kevin Durant or Jimmy Butler last week in some form of a repeat inspired by the Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard Hail Mary back in the summer of 2018,” Fischer wrote. “Be advised that the Raptors’ front office did poke around Durant back during the summer of 2022, sources say, when he first requested a trade out of Brooklyn.”
Raptors Ended Up Being a Part of Butler Blockbuster
Though the Raptors didn’t end up acquiring either perennial All-NBA star, they still had a busy trade deadline.
Toronto sent guard Bruce Brown and center Kelly Olynyk to the New Orleans Pelicans for one-time All-Star forward Brandon Ingram on Feb. 5 and agreed to a three-year, $120 million contract extension with Ingram on Tuesday. The Raptors later sent point guard Davion Mitchell to the Miami Heat and acquired veteran forward P.J. Tucker on deadline day as part of the five-team blockbuster that saw Butler land in the Bay Area.
That move also saw guard Dennis Schroder move from the Dubs to the Detroit Pistons, among other transactions.
Durant Reportedly Likely to Get Traded Over Summer
As has been the case in multiple recent seasons, KD found himself at the center of a host trade rumors this winter.
Even though Durant’s still employed by the Suns, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on Wednesday that the 15-time All-Star’s days in the desert are “probably” limited.
“He’s probably going to get traded this summer,” Windhorst said. “He knows it. The Suns know it. The rest of the league knows it. They’re going to enjoy him while they have him. It’s not really controversial in all honesty. They’re under .500. They have a $230 million payroll, then add over $100 million on tax on top of that.”
The Warriors had a package in place to bring Durant back to the Bay Area earlier this month, before the future Hall-of-Famer reportedly made it known he didn’t want to return to the organization.
After spending the first nine seasons of his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle SuperSonics, Durant signed with the Warriors in July 2016 and won his only two championships. Three years later, however, Durant was traded to the Brooklyn Nets to team up with Kyrie Irving.
After failing to advance past the conference semifinals with Irving and later James Harden in Brooklyn, KD demanded a move and was sent to the Suns in a monster four-team deal in February 2023.
