Kevin Durant trade: Ranking the 5 rumored teams by fit
Kevin Durant trade: Ranking the 5 rumored teams by fit
"The teams that are mainly featured right now that have interest in Kevin Durant ... the Houston Rockets, the San Antonio Spurs, the Miami Heat the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New York Knicks."@ShamsCharania details the teams interested in trading for KD ✍️ @PatMcAfeeShow pic.twitter.com/SdLuJM0eIt — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 11, 2025
Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win's basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey. Now, here's Prince J. Grimes.
Howdy, folks. There's news on the Kevin Durant front today.
The Phoenix Suns and Durant's business partner, Rich Kleiman, are working together to find a trade destination for the four-time scoring champ, ESPN's Shams Charania reported, and the options include five teams that have already expressed interest; the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat and New York Knicks.
Though several wild-card suitors have also made recent inquiries, those five teams are the current focus of a potential trade.
This isn't much of a surprise to anyone who's been paying attention ever since Durant's name came up in trade talks around the February trade deadline. He's one of the best and biggest names expected to be on the move this summer. This report just makes it all the more real.
However, not every destination is created equal and if Durant wants to enjoy more playoff success at his next stop than he did in Phoenix, the fit is going to be especially important. Below is a ranking of how he fits with these five potential destinations, taking into account each team's current title window and roster build.
5. Miami Heat
I actually don't hate Durant's fit in Miami next to Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, but it's the worst of these five teams because I think Durant's presence impacts Miami's title chances the least. They'd be maybe a little better than they were with Jimmy Butler -- if that -- which gets them into the playoffs in the East, but not very far. Durant can be any team's closer, but I'm not sure he should be the top player on a contender going into his age-37 season.
4. San Antonio Spurs
I understand the allure of putting Durant next to Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox, and the Spurs are smart for looking into a deal. But outside of that trio and Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, how ready is the rest of this roster to compete? That's what Durant would be rolling the dice on if he forces a move to San Antonio, which is looking to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
3. New York Knicks
Without knowing who the Knicks would have to give up in a deal for Durant, I think if we're just sliding him into someone like Mikal Bridges' spot, this team becomes a lot more dangerous. New York's defense is never going to be great as long as Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are sharing the floor together, which means they can't suffer through the offensive lulls that popped up all too often this postseason. Durant helps with that.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves
Durant probably slides in as an upgrade over Julius Randle -- who was phenomenal down the stretch of last season but disappeared in the conference finals in a way Durant would not. It also helps that Durant and Anthony Edwards already have chemistry together from their time on Team USA, and Durant is maybe the one player Edwards won't mind occasionally deferring to as his childhood idol.
1. Houston Rockets
Though Houston's current core of Alperen Sengun (22), Amen Thompson (22), Jalen Green (23) and Reed Sheppard (20) are all under 25, this team has already shown it can compete with the best of the West after finishing second in the conference this past season. They're just looking to take the next step toward contention, and Durant is a turnkey option who immediately improves their perimeter shooting and overall weaknesses on offense.
Tom Thibodeau thanks Knicks fans
Tom Thibodeau took out a full-page ad in the New York Times on Wednesday to thank the city, Knicks players, coaches and fans for supporting him over his five years as coach of the Knicks.
"When I was hired in 2020, I said this was my dream job. I am grateful that dream became a reality," Thibodeau said in the ad.
Classy move from Tom Thibodeau to place this ad in today's New York Times. pic.twitter.com/pWATlweqx1 — Frank Isola (@TheFrankIsola) June 11, 2025
His nod of gratitude comes after the Knicks fired him following the team's loss in the Eastern Conference Finals. A little more than a weeks since the move, the team has yet to fill the vacancy after reportedly having three separate requests to speak with coaches of other teams denied.
GET YOUR OWN: Knicks need to stop trying to steal a coach
The more New York's search for a new coach drags on, the worse the team's decision to part with Thibodeau looks. It's one thing to have someone in mind before firing a coach as successful as Thibodeau. It's another thing to go into the market without a plan, which increasingly seems like what the Knicks did.
Shootaround
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