The New York Knicks didn’t wind up making any significant moves at this year’s trade deadline, and the Phoenix Suns surprisingly held on to superstar Kevin Durant despite seemingly endless trade rumors. However, the two teams reportedly could have made a deal that would have sent Durant to the Big Apple.
Kevin Durant and the Knicks had mutual interest at the trade deadline
Speaking on the Pat McAfee Show, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Knicks were among the teams that Durant had mutual interest with before the deadline. Along with the Knicks, the Rockets, Timberwolves, Spurs, and Heat were also on that list of teams with mutual interest.
Ultimately, Durant was not moved despite the Suns’ rough season. They are currently 35-41 and out of playoff position in the West at the 11th seed, and barring a miraculous turnaround, the Suns are unlikely to make the postseason.
It is widely expected that Phoenix will undergo huge changes in the summer after having this poor season, and it is increasingly likely that Durant will be playing elsewhere next season. The 36-year-old is still one of the game’s biggest stars as he is averaging 26.6 points and 6.0 rebounds with the Suns this season.
The Suns are likely to move Durant in the offseason
The Durant-Suns era has not been as kind to Phoenix as initially hoped when they acquired him two seasons ago. They fell in the second round to the Denver Nuggets in 2023 and then were swept in the first round the following season by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Furthermore, Phoenix has no clear direction given the lack of draft assets they have, so they may consider offloading their biggest stars such as Durant and Booker to jumpstart a rebuild. The Knicks would be a good fit for Durant, and he would cost less on the market than Booker given his advanced age.
New York is on the brink of being a true title contender, but they are likely still missing one star piece to make them better than the other teams. Furthermore, this year’s current group has struggled mightily against the top teams in the league despite boasting a 48-27 record.
If Durant becomes formally available on the market this offseason, the Knicks should be all over him to gauge a price and potentially add a future Hall of Famer to a championship-caliber squad.