The 2024 offseason is probably the best the basketball fans have felt in a long time. Not only was the boredom due to the lack of NBA action staved off, but the 2024 Paris Olympics made dreams come true, thanks to the Avengers assembling featuring LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant. The Big 3 of the NBA came together to lead Team USA to a fifth straight gold medal, but this was the end of the short-lived link-up.

LeBron and Steph have already made their decisions public about this being their final Olympics, while KD has kept things under wrap. But what if they come together in the NBA? No matter how unbelievable it may sound, there is a chance for that to happen after the chemistry we witnessed between them.

This was one of the talking points during the latest episode of First Take. Kendrick Perkins speculated about the likelihood of seeing the trio joining forces in the NBA confinements. “You know what I’ve witnessed watching this Olympic team this summer is watching guys develop relationships. And what happened is when you over there at Paris, guys were breaking bread together, guys were having conversations together. And I’m gonna say this, this next NBA season is gonna be interesting,” Perkins said.

Adding further, Perks said, “Because if things don’t go as planned with the Los Angeles Lakers, things don’t go as planned with the Golden State Warriors, or things don’t go as planned with the Phoenix Suns, all of them are in the same conference. I’m looking at it and I’m saying to myself, after this NBA season, we might see some things, some moving parts.” This led to multiple theories from Perks, one of them being Kevin Durant ditching Devin Booker for another fellow Team USA teammate.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a reunion with Steph Curry and KD or LeBron James and Steph actually making it happen. Or we see Kevin Durant go to Minnesota with Anthony Edwards because we saw it, they had a signature handshake,” Perkins added further. “And so those relationships happen, man. And so, you know, at the end of the day, I wanna watch this season right here and see how things work out, but I would not be surprised if we see.”

These scenarios become even more realistic considering the effect of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The Suns are in a tough spot due to the CBA, with huge contracts tied, leading to the breach of the double-layered tax apron. It could ultimately force the franchise to get rid of Durant, their highest earner.

Suns might need to sacrifice Kevin Durant as $198 million penalty looms

The Suns decided to go bonkers during the 2023 trade window and mortgaged their future by signing Kevin Durant. That plan did not pay dividends, as the Phoenix franchise got dumped in the playoffs’ first round this season. And thanks to the CBA bug, the team is set to pay a whopping $198 million in luxury tax.

According to the Suns payroll for the 2024-25 season, they are $47.3 million over the first tax apron. With an active roster payroll of $225.4 million, the highest in the league, the Suns are set to be slapped with $198 million luxury tax, taking their total combined team salary and tax bill to $423 million. This will be the first time in NBA history that a team will go above the $400 million mark. Durant is set to earn $51.3 million next season and 54.7 for the 2025-26 season.

In case the Suns bust again next season, the franchise might want to get the bill down by taking KD off the books. If that happens, what might be the next destination for the 2-time NBA champion? The Timberwolves would be a difficult move given their own financial troubles. Perkins suggested that KD could return to the Warriors, but Durant might have second thoughts about it due to his history with the franchise and how it affected his legacy. Where would you like to see the Slim Reaper land next if a move is on the cards? Let us know in the comments.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.