Ranking Kevin Durant trade destinations among 5 ‘most interested' teams
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It seems like just a matter of time until Kevin Durant is traded from the Phoenix Suns. A deal has been inevitable ever since the Suns shopped the all-time great small forward ahead of the 2025 NBA trade deadline, and a move will likely occur quickly into the offseason now that the Suns are working with Rich Kleiman – Durant's business partner – to discuss trade scenarios.
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Some wild-card teams have reached out about Durant, but five teams are viewed as the most likely landing spots for the future Hall of Famer. According to Shams Charania, those teams are the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, and New York Knicks. So, which of those teams would be the best fit for Durant?
5. Kevin Durant to the Miami Heat
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A vacancy of star power opened up in Miami when the Heat traded Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors. Coincidentally, the Warriors are the team that Durant was nearly traded to during the regular season. The Heat could fill the void left by Butler's trade request by adding another disgruntled superstar.
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The Slim Reaper would form a big three with Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. Andrew Wiggins, Duncan Robinson, and Jaime Jaquez would be trade candidates that the Heat could use to make the money work. While the former two of those players are on unideal contracts that Miami wouldn't mind getting rid of, the Heat's depth would be far from inspiring after this trade, which makes Miami the worst fit of the teams interested in Durant.
Fans already saw how much the Suns struggled with a talented big three that didn't have the depth to support them, and similar problems could emerge for a Durant-led Heat team. Additionally, the Heat were only the eighth seed last year, so it isn't a guarantee that they'd become contenders with Durant on the roster. Durant wants to compete for another championship before he retires, and Miami is the least likely place where he could win a third ring among the teams on this list.
4. Minnesota Timberwolves add the Slim Reaper
It is well known that Minnesota Timberwolves' star Anthony Edwards takes things up a notch when matched up against Durant. That fierce competitiveness comes from a place of admiration, though. Edwards grew up watching Durant, and now his team has an interest in trading for the star.
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A Durant-Edwards duo would be perhaps the best in the NBA, even having a case as being more unstoppable than LeBron James and Luka Doncic with the Los Angeles Lakers. Durant is a career 27.2 points-per-game scorer who has led the league in scoring four times. The former MVP is 36 years old, but he hasn't really shown any signs of slowing down as a scorer. In fact, his game is built to last. Durant is pushing 7-feet tall, so he can score over the top of defenders with efficiency from all three levels of the court.
Likewise, Edwards is also one of the best bucket-getters in the NBA. Edwards averaged 27.6 points per game this past season. While he is most known for explosive dunks at the rim, he actually led the NBA with 320 made 3-pointers this year. Durant pairing with Edwards would be fun, but the Timberwolves might be the least likely team to trade for the Texas product because they don't have the draft capital at their disposal that the other interested teams have.
Additionally, Durant will make over $54 million next season, and he'd be eligible for a two-year extension worth up to $112 million after that. Durant is pricey, and the Timberwolves are already at risk of losing Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in free agency. A Durant deal with the Timberwolves could see Donte DiVincenzo, Rob Dillingham, and Julius Randle traded to Phoenix, the latter of which would need to opt-in to his contract or be used in a sign-and-trade in order for this deal to work.
On top of losing all of that talent directly in a Durant trade, retaining the team's free agents wouldn't be easy with his money on the books, either. Minnesota has made the conference finals in back-to-back seasons, and adding a veteran with championship experience like Durant seems like the type of move that could get the team to the next level. However, Minnesota's roster might look a whole lot different if they were to acquire Durant.
3. San Antonio Spurs trade for Kevin Durant
The San Antonio Spurs finished as just the 13th seed in the Western Conference, but they will be ready to compete sooner rather than later. They also are in a position to make a big move in the trade market this offseason, which is why they've been linked to Durant. The Spurs have tons of future draft picks and a number of intriguing youngsters who could be traded.
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The Spurs could offer Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, Blake Wesley, Malaki Branham, and draft picks to the Suns. That deal would allow them to retain Victor Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, and Stephon Castle. Wembanyama is already one of the best players in the NBA, and he has legitimate all-time legend potential. Fans saw very little of his pairing with Fox before both players were shut down for the season, but the expectation is the speedster will thrive with the unicorn.
Castle is coming off a Rookie of the Year season, Vassell is a complimentary scorer, and Sochan does the dirty work. The Spurs would be stacked with Durant. It is unclear if the Spurs would trade the number two overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft for Durant, but they at least have that option. If they are able to hold onto the pick, then they would add yet another talented player to their core.
The only reason the Spurs don't rank higher among Durant fits is because their championship window extends well over a decade from now, so they don't necessarily need to go all in right away. Durant is getting older and doesn't necessarily fit San Antonio's contention window. Even so, if Durant continues to play at a high level and would be willing to re-sign with the team, he'd be a great fit with the Spurs.
2. New York Knicks make a blockbuster move
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With Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum expected to miss all of next season and Giannis Antetokounmpo potentially being traded to a Western Conference team, the Eastern Conference is wide open. The New York Knicks were right there this season, and a Durant trade could get them over the hump.
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Karl-Anthony Towns has recently been included in trade rumors, but the Knicks would be smart to hold onto him and instead move OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson. Durant is made for the bright lights, so he'd thrive in a big market like New York. Alongside Towns and Jalen Brunson, the Knicks, with Durant on the roster, would have everything they'd need on offense.
Even after losing Anunoby and Robinson, they'd still have plenty of defensive weapons. Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart are elite defenders. Of course, fans have criticized the Knicks and Tom Thibodeau for a lack of depth in New York, but their starting five might be nasty enough that it wouldn't matter if Durant was brought into the fold.
1. Kevin Durant's best fit is the Houston Rockets
Like the Spurs, the Rockets have a surplus of tradable assets. The difference is that they are more ready to go all in right now. Houston earned the two-seed in a stacked Western Conference this year, but they were bounced in the first round. Reasons for their postseason struggles include a lack of experience and not enough shot-making from deep. Durant offers both of those at an elite level.
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The 15-time All-Star could get the Rockets over the top. The team has athletic specimens in Amen Thompson and Jalen Green, as well as defensive pests in Dillon Brooks and Tari Eason. They also have an All-Star center in Alperen Sengun and young up-and-comers in Reed Sheppard and Jabari Smith Jr. The Rockets could keep all of those players if they were to ship out Fred VanVleet, Cam Whitmore, Aaron Holiday, and a number of draft picks.
Durant would be the missing piece that can score 25-plus points every night and hit the tough shots when the clock is running down. Nobody is in a better position to go all in than the Rockets are, and they already have a great roster makeup. Because of that, they are both the most likely team to trade for Durant and the team that would provide the best on-court fit for him.
Related: NBA rumors: VJ Edgecombe's 2025 draft floor emerges
Related: Adam Silver's surprised admission on Michael Jordan joining NBA on NBC
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