Sources indicate that the Phoenix Suns attempted to trade Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors before the recent deadline. Although unsuccessful, this effort reportedly strained the relationship beyond repair. Following their failure to reach the 2025 postseason, recent reports strongly suggest the Suns will likely trade Durant this summer. At the deadline, it was reported there was mutual interest between Durant and five potential teams.
Two of these teams, the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs, make sense due to their wealth of trade assets. The Miami Heat are known for pursuing star players. The Minnesota Timberwolves have Anthony Edwards, who grew up idolizing Durant and played alongside him on Team USA last summer. These destinations offered logical fits.
A surprising name on the list was the New York Knicks, a team Durant famously bypassed in 2019, choosing to sign with the Brooklyn Nets instead. Knicks fans have publicly relished the Nets` subsequent struggles, and Durant has previously criticized the Knicks` allure. In 2019, he commented, “Fans expect players to join the Knicks because of their brand but players have grown up watching the Knicks suck and they aren’t cool anymore.”
However, the Knicks are no longer struggling. They recently finished just six wins shy of an NBA championship and should theoretically be appealing to Durant for several reasons. He has shown he likes New York City, having already moved there once. His agent, Rich Kleiman, is a lifelong Knicks fan who has openly stated he wanted Durant in a Knicks jersey in 2019. Furthermore, the Eastern Conference appears open, especially with key opponents facing potential injury issues. If Durant`s primary goal is to return to the NBA Finals, escaping the competitive Western Conference would provide a much clearer path.
Karl-Anthony Towns for Kevin Durant?
The obvious question is what the Knicks would need to offer to acquire Durant. The Suns, who struggled defensively last season, would likely value role players like OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson. However, the Knicks are already thin on depth and defensive specialists. The Suns` strategy of prioritizing offense over defense proved unsuccessful last season. New York is unlikely to dismantle their core roster for a player nearing 37 years old and a former MVP. If the Knicks were to pursue Durant, they would likely aim to do so without significantly disrupting the majority of their roster.
This is where Karl-Anthony Towns enters the picture.
Towns` contract value is very similar to Durant`s, with the Knicks center earning less than $2 million below the Suns forward. This makes a direct trade financially feasible. The Knicks would trigger the second apron hard cap by making this move, but they could easily include another minor salary in a trade to a third team to ensure the financial math works. Essentially, this would function as a near one-for-one player trade.
If Phoenix demanded additional assets, the Knicks possess several useful sweeteners. The 2026 Washington first-round pick they control is protected in a way that makes it unlikely to convey as a first-rounder, but it is expected to turn into valuable second-round picks from the Wizards in 2026 and 2027. The Knicks can also offer first-round pick swap rights in 2026 and 2030. These swaps are particularly significant for Phoenix, especially as they have already traded away swap rights in those same years multiple times. This means the Suns are currently positioned to receive potentially poor first-round picks in those years from a pool of teams, so having the ability to swap could be quite valuable.
Constructing a viable trade package is relatively straightforward, and the motivation for such a move is also apparent. The Knicks acquired Towns, in part, to cover Mitchell Robinson`s absence due to injury last season. Having done so, they now have less pressing need for a max-contract center than they did previously. Reporting from The Athletic has suggested that the Knicks organization grew frustrated with Towns` defensive performance, which aligns with his career-long weaknesses.
The Knicks struggled defensively with both Towns and Jalen Brunson sharing the court last season, performing poorly in points per possession allowed in both the regular season and playoffs. Some argue that consistently defending at a championship level is impossible with significant defensive liabilities at both point guard and center positions, as opponents can too easily exploit matchups. A trade involving Durant could potentially address this defensive issue for the Knicks.
For the Suns, acquiring Towns could also, at least in the short term, help appease their most important player, Devin Booker. By all accounts, Booker is comfortable in Phoenix. He has reportedly been involved in the team`s coaching search, and owner Mat Ishbia has publicly dismissed the idea of trading him this offseason. However, the modern NBA has shown that stars can become restless quickly. It remains uncertain how Booker will feel a year from now if the Suns trade Durant for role players and the team`s circumstances do not significantly improve.
Towns could provide a buffer against a future Booker trade request due to their close friendship and history as college teammates. In a 2019 SLAM Magazine feature, Booker, Towns, and D`Angelo Russell expressed a desire to play together someday. Russell is a free agent this summer, presenting a potential opportunity to make that dream a reality.
Considering all these factors, a Karl-Anthony Towns for Kevin Durant trade is quickly becoming a popular hypothetical scenario this offseason. While there has been no direct report stating the Knicks are specifically considering trading Towns for Durant, the connections between the players, teams, and circumstances are evident. Given the potential magnitude of such a transaction, let`s analyze the implications for both sides and determine who might be more likely to decline the deal.
Implications for the Knicks
It`s important to quickly address a common misconception: the idea that a healthy Mitchell Robinson means the Knicks are sufficiently covered at center with or without Towns. This is not entirely accurate. Robinson has played only 48 regular-season games over the last two seasons. Over the past five seasons, he has missed nearly as many games (188) as he has played (21). Even when playing, he has averaged barely more than half of the available minutes (25.5 per game). Robinson is not a player like Nikola Jokić who can be consistently relied upon for 35 minutes across 75 games. The Knicks must plan around the likelihood that he will not only miss games but should also be playing closer to 25 minutes per night than 35. This was the rationale behind signing Isaiah Hartenstein in 2022; they understood the need for a second starting-caliber center on their roster.
So, how would the Knicks acquire another competent center in this scenario? This presents a challenge. Trading OG Anunoby is likely off the table; he is too crucial defensively. Trading Mikal Bridges for significantly less value than they paid is also improbable. While they might get lucky in free agency, Durant`s salary would make accessing even the taxpayer mid-level exception difficult. This means they might need to hope for an unexpected breakout from a player like Ariel Hukporti or rely on minimum contracts. Neither option is particularly attractive. It`s more likely they would need to involve Josh Hart in a trade package.
They could potentially acquire a viable center using Hart`s salary slot ($19.4 million), but even if Hart functions better as a bench player, the Knicks would lose significant value without him. He is essential to their transition game, and his offensive rebounding is a core part of their identity. Removing him from the equation would diminish some of the classic Tom Thibodeau intensity. It would also eliminate one of their few sources of offensive unpredictability. His blend of effort, ball-handling, and passing frequently generates winning plays out of seemingly nothing. While difficult to quantify statistically, his impact is clearly felt. The Knicks would be a less dynamic team without Josh Hart.
However, Hart`s struggles with shooting were a significant offensive issue for the team last year. Opponents would often assign their worst defenders or even centers to guard him, using that player as extra rim protection. Defenses cannot do this against Kevin Durant. The Knicks` offensive approach would change considerably with Durant, but ultimately in beneficial ways.
Is Durant still an MVP-level offensive player? Probably not. Last season, he was likely not among the top 10 offensive players in the NBA. Achieving that status is difficult for a player with his current profile. His rate of getting to the rim and drawing free throws has predictably declined with age, and he offers limited playmaking at this stage. He primarily relies on his jump shot, but crucially, he is a *Kevin Durant-level* jump shooter. This still makes him an enormously valuable offensive player, provided he is integrated into the right system.
Last season, the Knicks ranked fifth in the NBA in points scored in the paint, largely thanks to Towns. Those opportunities would significantly decrease with Durant. In a sense, the Knicks would be adopting a more balanced version of Phoenix`s offensive philosophy. Neither Durant nor Brunson generate substantial rim pressure (though Brunson is more effective than Devin Booker in this regard), but their elite shot-making theoretically allows them to overcome this. Robinson is an ideal pick-and-roll partner for such an offense due to his effectiveness as both a lob threat and a rebounder. Anunoby and Bridges are skilled enough defenders on the ball that defenses would struggle to double-team Brunson or Durant effectively. This offense would heavily rely on contested jump shots, but they would make so many of them that it might not matter, provided they improved their shot selection. The Knicks ranked 28th in 3-point attempt rate last season.
For this new offensive style to succeed, the Knicks would need to become at least an average, and ideally a higher-volume, 3-point shooting team. This is achievable with their pick-and-roll game potentially opening up more looks, especially without the non-shooting Hart on the wing. Realistically, this offensive configuration might be more effective in the playoffs than in the regular season. They would miss the easier interior and transition points contributed by Towns and Hart. However, Brunson and Durant are two of the most defense-resistant playoff shot-makers in the league.
Now, regarding the defense, it becomes more complex without knowing who the Knicks` second center would be. In short, the defense would likely improve if that second center was average or better. Brunson has played effectively within good defensive schemes before; the Knicks ranked ninth defensively in the 2023-24 season when Isaiah Hartenstein was his primary center.
Durant, in his prime, was a significantly underrated defender. He has declined with age but is still valuable as a help defender and secondary rim protector. However, he is no longer capable of taking on difficult on-ball assignments. He wouldn`t need to next to elite defenders like Anunoby and Bridges. He could simply fit into the scheme. If you envision him replacing Hart in the starting lineup in this scenario, the Knicks suddenly gain seven or eight inches in height and wingspan. This alone is meaningful. It allows Brunson to play in lineups with sufficient size to support him defensively and removes an obvious target for opponents to attack. This might lead to Brunson being targeted more often, potentially tiring him out for offense, but having Durant significantly mitigates that issue.
Overall, the Knicks team with Durant is likely better, at least for the upcoming season, than the team with Towns. We say “likely” because we must consider the significant factor: Durant will be 37 next season and has a history of injuries. He will also likely require a contract extension after his current deal. At best, the Knicks might shorten their championship window by a few years. At worst, they could effectively close it entirely.
Is the potential reward of this upgrade worth the inherent risk? That depends on the definition of success. The Knicks finished within six wins of the NBA Finals this season. On paper, that is a successful outcome. Given the state of the Eastern Conference, it`s plausible to imagine them replicating that performance or even potentially defeating teams they lost to if circumstances align favorably. There is value in aiming for a relatively comfortable 50-to-55 win season, which gives a team a fighting chance. Even if they aren`t the absolute best team, being competitive at the end of the season means that if a key opponent suffers an injury or they get hot at the right time, the door to a championship can open.
However, if New York`s objective is to credibly build the best team in the NBA, that is unlikely with the current roster composition. If a healthy Knicks team had faced a healthy Thunder team in the 2025 NBA Finals, the Thunder would have likely won comfortably. If the Knicks aspire to compete on equal footing with teams like the Thunder, it will require a high-risk, high-reward transaction. This could involve strategic roster changes, perhaps a coaching change, or another major trade we aren`t currently anticipating. Acquiring a top-15 player in NBA history and hoping he has at least one more elite season certainly qualifies as a high-risk, high-reward move.
Implications for the Suns
The first question for the Suns side is: how do they acquire D`Angelo Russell in this scenario? Phoenix is currently well above the second apron luxury tax threshold. While they could get below it by declining Vasilije Micić`s team option and waiving Cody Martin`s non-guaranteed salary, it wouldn`t be enough to use even the taxpayer mid-level exception. Realistically, they would only be able to offer a minimum salary contract.
Is Russell available for a minimum contract? The answer is probably no, but it`s more plausible than one might think given the current free-agent landscape. Only one team currently has significant cap space, and that`s his current team, the Brooklyn Nets. Contending teams are unlikely to offer him the mid-level exception because he is considered a defensive liability. His free-agent market has been limited in recent years. Tyus Jones` experience last season highlighted how difficult it can be for point guards perceived as backups to secure large contracts. He signed a minimum deal in Phoenix initially to try and boost his value. Russell might consider a similar approach. Much of this depends on the Nets` strategy. They will need to spend to reach the salary floor, so retaining Russell for that purpose is a possibility.
The Nets could potentially mimic the Warriors` strategy years ago: sign Russell specifically to use him as a trade asset later. Golden State knew they could get Minnesota to overpay for him at the following trade deadline, and perhaps Brooklyn could attempt something similar, signing him to a one-year deal at a salary that makes him tradeable for one of Phoenix`s role players, then extorting what meager draft assets the Suns still possess in a midseason trade. Ultimately, acquiring Russell cannot be assumed, but it would certainly be a consideration.
It`s actually quite easy to see how Phoenix`s offense could improve with Towns replacing Durant, simply for the sake of diversity. The Durant-Booker partnership was hindered by their similar offensive profiles. Last season, only the Boston Celtics scored fewer points in the paint than the Suns. Converting one of your two primary mid-range scorers into a player capable of attacking the basket makes considerable strategic sense. Furthermore, Phoenix relied on ineffective centers throughout last year. The Suns possess more perimeter talent than big men. Trading Durant for Towns would make it easier to field a more effective overall lineup and potentially extract more value from Bradley Beal`s challenging contract. This new Suns team would have abundant collective shooting. They wouldn`t require a dominant rim presence to be effective; they just need one that isn`t entirely absent, as was often the case last year.
Towns is considered a defensive liability, but so were most of the big men Phoenix employed last season. However, having a center who can consistently shoot threes makes it easier to hide weaker defenders at other positions in the lineup. The Knicks` offense ranked fifth last season despite Josh Hart`s poor shooting. If Phoenix needs to play a defensive specialist like Ryan Dunn to bolster their defense, Towns` spacing makes that lineup more offensively viable. Devin Booker is not Jalen Brunson defensively; he is bigger and more versatile and isn`t targeted by opponents in the same way. While the Suns would not become a great or even good defensive team with this trade, they would avoid the inherent defensive limitations faced by the Brunson-Towns pairing, as Booker isn`t an outright liability.
Would this trade transform the Suns into the contender owner Mat Ishbia aspires to? Probably not, particularly in the highly competitive Western Conference. More likely, they would become a team winning around 45 games, potentially landing in the Play-In Tournament and being eliminated early. This isn`t the ultimate goal for most teams, especially one as expensive as the Suns.
However, within this specific context, this trade could be a worthwhile move for the Suns. There is no single trade available for Durant that will solve all of the team`s problems. It`s important to abandon that notion. It`s not going to happen. But making a trade that helps appease Devin Booker and restores some level of respectability to the team buys them crucial time. They can then gradually address the rest of the roster over a few years, hopefully finding complementary role players and building towards a stronger push later in Booker`s prime. Perhaps they gain salary flexibility when Beal`s contract expires, or maybe they successfully draft or trade for key pieces and take an unexpected step forward.
Is this an ideal solution? No. There simply isn`t an ideal outcome available. In truth, Phoenix should probably consider trading Booker, but for now, that option is reportedly off the table. Therefore, they must find a way to buy themselves time to tackle their numerous issues. They won`t have that time if they keep a 37-year-old star whose value might decrease significantly. However, if they trade that 37-year-old for rookies and draft picks, they might not be able to develop or utilize those assets effectively before Booker grows frustrated with losing. This trade represents a survival strategy, offering them a chance to incrementally improve over time in a way that provides both the fanbase and their star player with some degree of hope. All things considered, the Suns could certainly make a worse move.
Who Says No?
I suspect the Knicks would likely lean against this trade, but they wouldn`t dismiss it entirely. Inertia is a powerful force in professional sports; teams are often hesitant to pursue drastic changes before exploring less disruptive options. Leon Rose served as Karl-Anthony Towns` agent for many years before taking over the Knicks front office. This is a player he presumably has faith in. He won`t trade him impulsively. The Knicks will likely explore every possible avenue to make the fit between Towns and Jalen Brunson successful. This would probably include adjustments to lineups, minor roster changes, and potentially even a coaching change before considering trading Towns. This does not mean a Towns trade is impossible; it just suggests it wouldn`t happen unless the Knicks truly believe it is their only viable path forward.
The situation is more complex from Phoenix`s perspective. Their decision depends heavily on the offers they receive for Kevin Durant, and those offers likely depend on what happens with other major stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo. For example, if the Houston Rockets are the team most eager to make a substantial offer for Durant, that changes if they manage to trade for Antetokounmpo instead. Phoenix`s ultimate response will be dictated by the market dynamics.
Nevertheless, if the Suns were genuinely presented with this specific trade offer, I believe they would lean towards accepting it. Consider the ownership involved. Mat Ishbia traded for Durant just days after purchasing the team and acquired Bradley Beal only a few months later. This suggests an owner who prioritizes acquiring star power and aims to win immediately. Even if a trade involving multiple players and draft picks made more strategic sense for a long-term rebuild, his history indicates he might prefer a move centered around a prominent player. Furthermore, trades of this magnitude typically do not occur without input from the players involved. If Devin Booker learned of this possibility, he would likely advocate for it, and once a star player pushes for a move, it becomes difficult for a team to refuse.
Of course, player input works both ways. Kevin Durant must also be willing to facilitate this trade for it to happen. This leverage is granted by his expiring contract. This is where the situation becomes more intricate. Remember Draymond Green calling Durant from the parking lot after Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals? Or the All-Star Game conversations with Kyrie Irving? When Durant changes teams, it often begins with him communicating behind the scenes with a star player or players he might be interested in teaming up with.
Currently, it is entirely possible that Durant is already in contact with players he would like to play alongside. When the time comes for Phoenix to seriously explore trade options, he might have already decided on another destination. If that is the case, the Knicks would likely be out of luck unless they are willing to trade for a potentially unhappy star on an expiring contract. This is often how high-level NBA transactions unfold; it requires all three parties—the two teams and the player—to be willing participants. So, even if the Knicks and Suns find agreement, Durant`s willingness is essential. But if he is on board, this trade makes considerable sense for everyone involved.
Jasper Hawthorne