Suns’ Cam Johnson Considered “Off Limits” in Potential Kevin Durant Trade

It’s safe to say that the Phoenix Suns view Cam Johnson as a future cornerstone of their franchise.

Since entering the NBA in 2019, it seems like Phoenix Suns’ Cam Johnson is getting better every year. The 26-year-old combo forward has the tools to be a great player on both ends of the floor, and the Suns’ front office is rightfully high on Johnson’s potential. But it’s now apparent that the team might be seeing a “franchise player” level of potential for Johnson, with Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports recently reporting that the Suns didn’t include Johnson in trade talks for Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant.

With the Suns coming off a disappointing second-round playoff exit at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, they were bent on possibly making changes to their roster to bring in a top-tier superstar to the mix. It so happened during the last offseason that Durant requested the Nets to trade him, with the Suns listed as one of his preferred destinations. To get Durant, the Suns might have had to let go of their 24-year-old starting center Deandre Ayton, but a Durant-Chris Paul-Devin Booker star trio would have been worth the price.

However, it’s understandable that the Nets wanted another young player in the deal, but the Suns refused to include Johnson in the trade negotiations. That seemed to be a deal-breaker, as the Durant trade never happened.

Cam Johnson, who averaged 12.5 points on an excellent 42.5% three-point shooting last season, is one of the younger players on the Suns’ roster. With Chris Paul turning 38 next year, there’s a growing concern about the Suns’ future if they don’t make a successful title run this season. There are player movement rumors surrounding the franchise, including a potential deal that will move veteran forward Jae Crowder to another contender.