NBA hot spots: Durant trade, Finals ratings, Thunder record and Lakers trial

Kevin Durant's trade rumors are the focus of this offseason. As a superstar, his whereabouts are highly concerned, and the operational motivation of the Suns team he currently works is also unfathomable.

Suns owner Matt Ishbiya recently told ESPN that the team will evaluate the roster in the offseason, but Durant's future is uncertain. Sources revealed that the Suns have discussed Durant's trading plan with the Timberwolves, Heat, Rockets, Knicks and other teams. However, the reasons behind the Suns are so anxious to operate are quite complicated.

On the one hand, the Suns' performance this season did not meet expectations, and the three giants composed of Durant, Devin Booker and Bill did not perform as they should have and did not even make the playoffs. On the other hand, the team's financial situation is tight, and the boss Ishbiya hopes to save money by trading Durant, which is estimated to save about $50 million in luxury taxes. In addition, the Suns also hope to get back the draft picks they gave out in the trade, especially the first round picks in 2025, 2027 and 2029, which is important for the team's future reconstruction. So, they hope to complete the deal before the June 25 draft so that there will be more room for operation in the draft.

But Durant's trading market is very complicated, and the quotations of each team are very different from the expectations of the Suns. For example, the Timberwolves once proposed a 5-for-1 plan with Towns as the main body, but was rejected by the Sun. Although the Rockets are very interested in Durant, the Suns' reporter accused the Rockets reporter of deliberately raising prices and speculating. In this case, Durant's deal became confusing, with different opinions from all parties, and the results were difficult to predict.

This year's NBA Finals' ratings hit a record low. According to Nelson data, the Pacers and Thunder's first finals had an average viewership of only 4.7 in ABC, with only 8.91 million viewers, which is the first final with the lowest ratings and audience since Nelson began counting in 1988 (excluding 2020 and 2021 affected by the new crown).

However, this game was very popular on social media, with more than 500 million views, a record high. This also reflects that fans who appear in prefer to watch games through online platforms such as social media rather than traditional live TV. In addition, the low ratings of this game are also related to the suspense of the game. Most of the time, the Thunder was ahead, but was finally defeated by the Pacers in 0.3 seconds. Although this ending sparked heated discussion on social media, the audience churn rate was quite high in live TV.

The Thunder's performance this season is eye-catching, especially against the Eastern Conference team, with an amazing record of 30 wins and 3 losses, with a winning rate of 93.8%. This made them the "Eastern team nemesis" and also set the best record in NBA history against another division team in a single season.

In the regular season, the Thunder's record against the Eastern Conference team was 29 wins and 1 loss, and the only loss was the away game to lose 105-108 to the Cavaliers. In the first game of the finals, although the Thunder were defeated by the Pacers in 0.3 seconds, they rebounded strongly in the second game, winning the Pacers 123-107, tied the total score 1-1.

The Thunder can achieve such a good result against the Eastern Conference teams mainly rely on strong offensive firepower and excellent defense. As the core of the team, Alexander averaged 35 points per game, becoming the tenth player in the history of the Finals to score at least 35 points in a single game but failed in the first game. In addition, the Thunder team cooperates well, and the chemistry between the players is very good. In the finals, the Thunder were only 1 minute and 53 seconds behind, which fully demonstrated their strong performance in the game. Although they were reversed in the first game, they quickly adjusted their state in the second game, showing strong psychological quality and competitive level. In the offseason, the Lakers are also actively strengthening their lineup. Sources revealed that the Lakers recently tried out the center of the University of Alabama. This center has a strong defensive ability and can contribute 1.7 blocks per game in his career, which can greatly help the Lakers' inside defense.

The Lakers' current core lineup has strong offensive firepower, but the inside defense needs to be strengthened. Therefore, the trial training of the University of Alabama center is an important step in the Lakers' offseason. If the center can be successfully signed, the Lakers' inside defense will be significantly improved and the team's competitiveness will be further enhanced.