NBA Trade Rumors Roundup, January 17th: Major Kevin Durant update, Aaron Gordon to Mavericks, and more

Having past the halfway point of the NBA season, all teams are coming to terms with where they stand. With eleven teams in the contentions for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and every team except the Phoenix Suns with a shot in the West, both Conferences have remained competitive.

The trade deadline in February is also approaching as the NBA has made changes to the deadline so that it will now always occur 10 days before the All-Star game. This has been done so that players, who get traded, have time to settle into their new teams, and this year's trade window will close on February 7th.

So with the deadline less than a month away, here are the biggest trade rumors you need to know for January 17th.

Warriors willing to pay to keep Kevin Durant

Heading into the 18/19 season, Kevin Durant's future was one of the biggest talking points around the league. Speculation regarding Durant's next move further intensified following an on-court bust-up with Draymond Green, although Brian Windhorst is reporting that the Warriors still plan to invest a huge amount of money in order to secure Durant's future on the team:

(Speaking about Durant re-signing) This potentially would send the Warriors toward a payroll above $300 million when luxury taxes are included. They might grumble about it, but they will be able to afford it. Internally, the Warriors project a nine-figure increase in revenue when they move into the Chase Center next season

Durant has been with the Warriors since 2016, after previously spending his entire career with the Oklahoma City Thunder franchise (previously SuperSonics). KD has won back to back titles in Golden State, and so far this season the 30-year-old is averaging 28.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game.