Insider: Kevin Durant Trade Sweepstakes This Summer to be "Much Noisier"

They've lost five of their last six games, and eight of their last 10, and now the Phoenix Suns are solidly in 11th spot in the Western Conference, a full two games back of the Play-In. It could get ugly in the desert. Yes, even uglier than it has been already this season.

Kevin Durant was the subject of trade rumors at the deadline earlier this month, and according to insider Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, if the Suns don't make a reasonable playoff run (and it's a big assumption that they even get there), we could be in for a summer that will be even "much noisier" on the KD front than it has been.

How far, or not far, the Suns go, is going to really set the stage for a potential trade sweepstakes for Kevin Durant that would become much, much BIGGER and much, much NOISER than it was in February when you have an off-season and a whole summer to get that business done...When teams get access to more draft capital... And teams can carry more roster spots (up to 20 in the offseason), it's just allows for greater salary matching.

Trade rumors swirled all around the Suns and Durant earlier this month, and in fact it seems like there was a potential deal in place to send him back to the Golden State Warriors, but KD put the kibosh on that, saying he didn't want a reunion.

Durant has just one year left on his contract at $54 million, so the pressure will be on the Suns this coming summer.

Certainly, the way they've played all season, it doesn't seem like there's a big playoff run coming for the Suns, but as Fischer notes, they do have the potential to do something if everything breaks right.

"When you've got all-world talent like Phoenix does, who's to say?"

The Suns are 27-30 at the moment, however, and among their 2-8 record over the last 10 games were two losses to the Portland Trail Blazers and a blowout at the hands of the Toronto Raptors.