Timberwolves' Massive Offer For Kevin Durant Revealed; Looks Better Than Rockets' Package
Timberwolves' Massive Offer For Kevin Durant Revealed; Looks Better Than Rockets' Package originally appeared on Fadeaway World.
The Kevin Durant trade saga finally ended on Sunday, with the Phoenix Suns sending him to the Houston Rockets. The Suns didn't get a good haul in return for Durant, and it appears there was once a far better offer on the table. Suns insider John Gambadoro revealed the Minnesota Timberwolves' package on The Kevin O'Connor Show.
Advertisement
"This is what I believe the offer to be," Gambadoro said. "How much changed on Durant not wanting to go there, that we're not 100% sure on. But I believe Minnesota would have been Rudy Gobert, Donte DiVincenzo, one of the young players, either [Terrence] Shannon [Jr.] or [Rob] Dillingham, and then their first-round pick."
The Rockets, meanwhile, only gave up Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the 10th pick in this 2025 NBA Draft, and five second-round picks. The Timberwolves' package was clearly better, but he had no interest in going to Minnesota. Gambadoro isn't sure if this offer was still on the table once the 36-year-old's lack of interest became evident.
"I think that was a good offer [from the Timberwolves], but I think KD probably, like the Golden State deal, sent through back channels that, 'I'll go there but there's no guarantee that I'm going to re-sign with you,'" Gambadoro stated. "Now, whether Minnesota was willing to do that deal without a guarantee from KD or not, I'm not sure."
Durant had, of course, shut down a blockbuster trade that would have sent him to the Golden State Warriors at this year's deadline in February. Now, NBA players normally don't get much say in trades, but the 15-time All-Star had some leverage.
Advertisement
Durant is entering the final year of his four-year, $194-million deal in 2025-26, and a team would need assurances that he would re-sign with them before a trade. It wouldn't be surprising if the Timberwolves took this massive offer off the table once they realized that he could leave for free in a year.
The Timberwolves weren't the only team that appeared to have presented a better offer than the Rockets. Kevin O'Connor reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers' offer for Durant included Darius Garland.
Just like with the Timberwolves, you'd imagine that Durant would have sent messages about not wanting to go to the Cavaliers. It would have made little sense otherwise for the Suns to turn down the opportunity to acquire Garland, who would have solved their point guard woes.
The Suns also tried to trade Durant to the Miami Heat, but the asking price of Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic, Haywood Highsmith, the No. 20 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and additional draft capital was not met. They were ultimately forced to settle for that underwhelming haul from the Rockets.
Advertisement
Having to give up such a laughable haul for a player of Durant's caliber means the Rockets, who were the second seed in the West with a 52-30 record in 2024-25, will be serious title contenders next season. Their new superstar is already at work, too, with a clip of him working out at a gym going viral.
Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game in 2024-25. He is the kind of elite scorer that the Rockets desperately needed, and it will be interesting to see how far he can take this group.
Related: Kevin Durant Responds To Suns Fans After Blockbuster Trade: "They Got What They Wanted"
This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
12 minutes ago
- New York Times
How can I watch the NBA Draft?
The second round of the 2025 NBA Draft is set for tonight at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. There will be 29 picks in tonight's round. In the first round, Duke's Cooper Flagg was the No. 1 overall pick, going to Dallas, followed by Rutgers' Dylan Harper going No. 2 to San Antonio. Baylor's VJ Edgecombe went third to Philadelphia, and Duke's Kon Knueppel was selected fourth by Charlotte. Rutgers' Ace Bailey rounded out the top five by going to Utah. So, who will join the first-rounders tonight? Follow all our coverage to get you to the start of the second round and throughout the round. Start time: 8 p.m. ET 8 p.m. ET How to watch: ESPN ESPN Streaming: Fubo (try for free) Fubo (try for free) Get involved: live@
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
EA Sports ranks the Swamp just outside the top five in their toughest places to play
The Swamp is one of the loudest, rowdiest, most intimidating environments in all of college football–so why isn't it ranked higher? In its latest College Football 26 "Dynasty Deep Dive" feature, EA Sports unveiled the top 25 toughest stadiums to play in, with Ben Hill Griffin Stadium checking in at No. 7 overall. Advertisement The ranking puts the Florida Gators behind other SEC schools like the LSU Tigers (No. 1), Georgia Bulldogs (No. 4) and Alabama Crimson Tide (No. 5). While that's respectable company, many Gators fans would argue that Ben Hill Griffin Stadium deserves to be higher–especially considering its reputation for shaking with noise during prime-time games and high-stakes SEC showdowns. Night games in the Swamp, especially during rivalry weeks or title chases, have produced unforgettable moments and collapses by opposing quarterbacks. It's why coaches, players and media alike consistently rank Florida among the most brutal road trips in the nation. Here are the top 10 toughest places to play according to EA Sports. Top 10 toughest places to play according to EA Sports EA Sports College Football 26 release date information EA Sports College Football 26 releases July 10, with early access beginning July 7. The game marks another season of the beloved college football franchise, complete with real player likenesses, coaches and realistic stadium atmospheres. Advertisement Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions. This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: EA Sports ranks the Swamp No. 7 in toughest stadiums list
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
"He's got to be extremely angered" - Skip Bayless thinks Adam Silver was livid with the KD trade taking spotlight away from Game 7
"He's got to be extremely angered" - Skip Bayless thinks Adam Silver was livid with the KD trade taking spotlight away from Game 7 originally appeared on Basketball Network. Rivalry and tension between certain NBA players and veteran media members have been brewing for years, but Skip Bayless's animosity toward stars like Kevin Durant seems to exist on an entirely different level. On a recent occasion, the 73-year-old analyst went as far as accusing KD of intentionally trying to steal the spotlight away from his former team. Right before the youthful Oklahoma City Thunder squad was about to experience the most significant moment in their history—winning the 2025 championship—the news about the Houston Rockets snagging Durant went out, which Skip believes frustrated him and even Commissioner Adam Silver. Leading up to Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, reports had already begun circulating that Durant was certain to be on his way out of Phoenix in the initial days of the offseason. While his destination wasn't certain, it was almost expected that Kevin could be the first of many players to be traded. However, for Bayless, the fact that the news broke just before the tip-off of a title-deciding game wasn't just poorly timed. To him, it exposed KD's insecurity and unwillingness to let the spotlight shine on the franchise that he once led. Skip even raised a conspiracy theory about how Adam would be as frustrated as he, especially when the league had two deserving teams battling it out on the grandest stage. Still, Kevin dominated the pre-game headlines. "I'm now convinced that Kevin Durant pushed to have his trade to Houston announced or leaked to upstage Game 7 of the NBA Finals in Oklahoma City, where, of course, he began his career. Adam Silver doesn't like major moves being announced during the Finals. Not only does he frowns on it (but) he's got to be extremely angered by what happened on Sunday afternoon," Bayless said. " That' Kevin bleepin' Durant, guy that operated burner accounts, the most thin-skinned, oversensitive superstar I've ever closely observed. I think Kevin couldn't stand that the Thunder were about to win a championship (that) he failed to win," he addressed the trade during his appearance at Fanatics Fest, making it clear that he'd been aware of a trade to Houston but wasn't sure when it would be announced. Moreover, Kevin's reaction was subtle but telling — relieved more than anything to start a new chapter. Put simply, rather than hijacking the media headlines, the two-time NBA champion appeared to finally have clarity about his future. However, for naysayers like Bayless, who rarely miss a chance to scrutinize stars or float conspiracy theories, this situation was just another excuse to paint Durant negatively. For someone as emotionally invested in OKC's journey all year long as Skip was, the news of KD's trade breaking around the time of the Thunder's crowning moment felt like an unnecessary distraction that robbed the team of its deserved spotlight, and he is surely letting the veteran know about his disdain of the story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
