The Phoenix Suns reportedly tried to trade for O.G. Anunoby or Pascal Siakam before acquiring Kevin Durant last season, according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe.
The Phoenix Suns were in talks with the Raptors last season, trying to get OG Anunoby or Pascal Siakam before pivoting to Kevin Durant
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“They were in talks with the [Toronto] Raptors last year on either — not both — but either Siakam or Anunoby before the Durant thing became viable for them,” Lowe said of the Suns. “… Let me be clear. I don’t think the talks were serious. I don’t think they were going to end up with either of those guys.”
Both Anunoby and Siakam wound up finishing the 2022-23 season with the Raptors, who lost to the Chicago Bulls in the play-in tournament and therefore didn’t make the playoffs.
However, neither of them are with the Raptors now, as they were both traded earlier this season to different Eastern Conference teams. Anunoby was traded to the New York Knicks, while Siakam was sent to the Indiana Pacers. Toronto appears to be heading toward a rebuild, which might be the best thing for the team since it hasn’t won a playoff series since 2020.
Durant was traded to the Suns by the Brooklyn Nets right before last season’s trade deadline and helped Phoenix win a playoff series before losing to the eventual champion Denver Nuggets in the second round.
Phoenix went out and acquired Bradley Beal over the offseason, increasing expectations for its 2023-24 season. The Suns are 29-21 after beating the Washington Wizards in Beal’s return to the nation’s capital.
After a bit of a rough start to the campaign, the Suns seem to have figured things out and are 7-3 over their last 10 contests. They’re surely glad they were able to end up acquiring Durant.
Across 43 games played this season, Durant is averaging 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game while knocking down 53.8 percent of his shots from the field and 46.1 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc.
The Western Conference is loaded once again, as seven of its teams are at least seven games over .500. Teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder have surprised many and looks like legit contenders this season.
Due to that, Durant will need to be at his best if the Suns want to have any chance at making a run this season. The Suns have already played New York and Indiana twice each this season, so if want to see either Anunoby or Siakam again, it will have to be in the NBA Finals.
