Jaden McDaniels Is Off-Limits In A Potential Kevin Durant Trade

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Jaden McDaniels Is Off-Limits In A Potential Kevin Durant Trade originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are still involved in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes. While Durant has already picked the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, and San Antonio Spurs, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania's sources, the Timberwolves are still a dark horse.
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Some reports have stated the Timberwolves are quite involved in the trade discussions. However, they are unwilling to put Jaden McDaniels in any trade package, as they see him as a crucial part of their long-term future.
Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
The Timberwolves would love to get Durant on the roster because he could be a game-changer. Anthony Edwards is their superstar player, but the team must be aware that they could give up too much for Durant.
That is where McDaniels comes into the picture. He is one of the most important players and building blocks, so he is untouchable. McDaniels is a young two-way star for the long-term future, and team president Tim Connelly won't be willing to give that up.
Related: Kevin Durant To The Timberwolves Is Topping Zach Lowe's "Buzz" Rankings
The Risk Is Too High For Trading McDaniels
When talking about the Timberwolves' players, two stand out as the most important ones. Those are Edwards and McDaniels, who coincidentally joined the Timberwolves in the same year in 2020.
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McDaniels is the team's best perimeter defender, but he is versatile enough to play as a rim protector. His contributions are regularly overlooked because he does not have gaudy numbers, but he is vital to Chris Finch's system.
That's why it's understandable that the Timberwolves are unwilling to put him in any trade package. Even if Durant is part of the trade package, Minnesota will want to have McDaniels due to his overall impact.
"The Wolves are not including Jaden McDaniels in any KD trade talks, per team sources, which means that one of Randle or Rudy Gobert would have to be the primary salary eater in the deal," The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski said about the potential trade. "It does not appear that Phoenix wants to tear down and rebuild as part of this trade. Randle and Gobert both figured prominently in Minnesota's run to the conference finals last season."
Durant's Interest Is Still Up In The Air According To Conflicting Reports
Shams Charania's report for ESPN discusses how Houston, Miami, and San Antonio are his only preferred destinations. However, The Athletic's report says that his preference won't factor much into the trade. His contract lacks the no-trade clause that his teammate Bradley Beal has on his, so Durant can't control where he goes.
Durant would want to join those three teams based on the contract extension he could get from them. Considering he is going to be 37 when the 2025-26 season rolls around, that will be his final NBA deal.
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With that being said, the Wolves might present an appealing package for the Suns. Phoenix is not ready for a non-post-season campaign, as they will want immediate contributors. That leaves the potential of Randle, Gobert, and Donte DiVincenzo to be part of the trade.
McDaniels will be on the Timberwolves, and if Durant joins them, they will have one of the most fearsome starting lineups in the league with the length and offensive firepower to boot.
Related: Zach Lowe Admits The Kevin Durant Trade To The Timberwolves Is Challenging
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.