For a brief moment in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder were staring down disaster. The Indiana Pacers were one quarter away from taking a commanding 3-1 series lead—a deficit no team has ever overcome in the Finals. Then Shai Gilgeous-Alexander happened, the Thunder stormed back, and suddenly, the doomsday scenario vanished. But what if it hadn’t? What if this young team’s near-collapse revealed a fatal flaw in their championship blueprint?

The answer might have been watching from somewhere. Kevin Durant, the 15-times All star who once called Oklahoma City home, possesses exactly what this roster lacks: Finals-tested veteran leadership and clutch playoff DNA. For a franchise that’s rebuilt so meticulously, it would be the ultimate irony if their missing piece turned out to be the one that got away.

Well the exact scenario is what Kevin O’Conner hinted about on The Kevin O’Conner Show: “If the Pacers just won the last three games of the series and won the series in five,” he speculated, ” Oklahoma City Thunder would have to look really head in the mirror about their roster construction” His implication was clear—a humiliating collapse might have forced the Thunder to consider reuniting with their prodigal son, regardless of the awkward history.

But here’s the catch: The Thunder didn’t collapse. They clawed back in Game 4, flipped the series momentum, and now sit just two wins from a title. O’Connor’s hypothetical was never about real reporting—it was a thought experiment, a “what if the wheels fell off?” scenario. And while the idea of Kevin Durant returning to OKC makes for a juicy storyline, the reality is far less dramatic. The Thunder’s front office hasn’t shown any interest in abandoning its patient rebuild for a 36-year-old Durant, especially when his actual suitors (Houston, Miami, Minnesota) are chasing him for win-now moves.

Of course, this entire premise hinges on one delicious irony: even if the Thunder had lost and were to go searching for that veteran upgrade in the off-season that O’Connor suggested (which does make sense), the NBA’s financial realities would’ve laughed in their face before they even dialed Phoenix’s number.

The $54 Million ‘What If?’ That Was Never Really Possible

Picture the alternate universe where Oklahoma City Thunder‘s comeback fell short. Where a 3-1 deficit exposed their young core’s fatal flaw – that for all their brilliance, they still needed… gulp… actual adult supervision (no offense, Alex Caruso). In that moment of panic, some might have whispered the unthinkable solution: “What about KD?”

Even if OKC had explored the possibility, they would have encountered Phoenix Suns‘ steep asking price. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Suns are still trying to recoup their 2023 haul—the package that sent Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, four unprotected picks, and a swap to Brooklyn. But here’s why that’s fantasy: Kevin Durant is now 37, on an expiring deal with no extension guarantees. That means any acquiring team risks surrendering assets for what could be a one-year rental. This expiration date, combined with Kevin Durant’s no-trade clause that allows him to dictate his destinations, leaves Phoenix with zero leverage in negotiations. Yet they’re still scouting 2025 draft prospects who’ll be long gone by pick 29—either admirable diligence or denial about their bargaining position.

The delicious irony? The NBA’s new financial rules would’ve laughed at OKC before they even got to the negotiating table. That shiny new CBA put up a “No Superteam Reunions Allowed” sign on the Thunder’s war chest. To match Kevin Durant’s salary, they’d have to gut their rotation so thoroughly they’d essentially be trading Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins just for the privilege of being hard-capped. And let’s be real – Sam Presti didn’t become a roster-building legend by panic-trading his entire bench for one aging superstar.

The market reality is even more brutal for Phoenix. The teams actually in the Durant sweepstakes – Minnesota, Miami, Houston – aren’t exactly lining up to offer blue-chip prospects or multiple picks. Even San Antonio, often mentioned as a dark horse, would reportedly only part with veterans like Devin Vassell or Keldon Johnson (with maybe one exception. No, not Wemby). Not exactly the Bridges/Johnson combo platter Phoenix dreams about at night.

So while the “KD returns” narrative made for great offseason fan fiction, the truth was always more depressing for Phoenix—and more liberating for OKC. The Thunder’s Game 4 escape didn’t just save their season. It spared them from months of staring at trade machines that would’ve shown the same impossible math. Sometimes, the best moves are the ones you don’t make. Especially when the price is your entire rotation and financial flexibility. And really, isn’t that better than one awkward, expensive reunion tour?