The Phoenix Suns are expected to explore trades for star Kevin Durant this offseason, as their “Big Three” of he, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal have not been successful. Durant is entering the final year of his contract worth $54.7 million, which might make him difficult to trade for.

The Dallas Mavericks have been one of the teams connected to Durant as rumors surfaced around the trade deadline that Mavs GM Nico Harrison has “dreams” of adding the superstar scorer. Sam Amico of Hoops Wire reported that the Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves, LA Lakers, Houston Rockets, and Miami Heat could pursue Durant this offseason.

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So, what would a trade for Kevin Durant even look like? ESPN had a few writers collaborate to propose trades for the Mavericks, Rockets, Heat, and New York Knicks. Here’s what they came up with for the Mavs and their explanation.

“In dealing then-25-year-old Luka Doncic for 31-year-old Anthony Davis, the Mavericks have made no secret that they view their window to contend for a title as the next few years. With that in mind, they would seemingly be of the mind of continuing to push the chips in, even with Kyrie Irving’s torn ACL likely affecting their chances next season.

“Getting Durant, one of Irving’s closest friends and his former Brooklyn teammate, would be a clear way to ensure the team’s perimeter scoring and ballhandling stay afloat while Irving rehabs. And it would also give Davis another future Hall of Famer to take pressure off his shoulders night to night. The move would also give Durant a chance to potentially finish his career in the state where he became a one-and-done superstar for the Texas Longhorns.

“In this deal, the Suns immediately deepen their rotation, getting not only historic sharpshooter Thompson, but also key win-now players in Washington and Marshall. Most importantly, they would get Lively, who enjoyed a fantastic rookie season on both ends of the floor with Dallas en route to the Mavs reaching the NBA Finals last year. The haul, and the draft pick in a deep selection pool, should be enough to convince franchise player Devin Booker that Phoenix has enough to be competitive.

“On the other side, Dallas, like the current Suns roster, would undoubtedly be a thin, top-heavy group as a result of this move — one with a trio of stars who would ultimately need a decent stretch of good health to give the club a chance at glory. It may seem like a heavy investment and risk for the Mavs. Frankly, it is one. But after dealing away Doncic, isn’t that exactly what Mavs general manager Nico Harrison and the club have signed up for at this point?”

The biggest issue with this trade is the salaries would not match. Thompson, Washington, Marshall, and Lively will combine to make about $45 million, still $9 million short of Durant’s salary. So they’d have to add in Caleb Martin or remove Lively and add in Daniel Gafford. Either way, that is a LOT for a player who will be 37 years old at the start of next season. That’s not even factoring in Dallas’ 2025 first-round pick, which is nearly guaranteed to be a lottery pick now. Nico Harrison might consider this deal, but he shouldn’t.