The NBA offseason is heating up, and the NBA Finals aren’t even over yet.
Trade rumors are swirling around Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant, but one team’s aggressive pursuit has hit a significant roadblock: Durant himself.
The Minnesota Timberwolves, fresh off back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances, have emerged as the most determined suitor for the 15-time All-Star.
However, Durant’s lack of interest in joining the Timberwolves is stalling what could be a blockbuster deal, leaving the door open for other teams to swoop in.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor, Durant’s stance is clear, and it’s complicating negotiations.
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“Shams Charania (said) that Kevin Durant has no interest in the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Timberwolves have been the team that’s been most heavily in pursuit (of) Kevin Durant,” O’Connor said during The Kevin O’Connor Show.
“The Athletic reported (on Tuesday) that the T-Wolves don’t want to make a seismic change to the roster if Durant is not on board with the move. It seems like Minnesota wants KD to want to go there. It seems like Phoenix is hoping KD warms up to it, so Minnesota would end up wanting to do the deal. My impression from conversations I’ve had is the Suns would be ready to do that deal, but KD is not (ready), and Minnesota is not (ready) without KD wanting to go there. So the window is open for some team out of nowhere to just make an offer the Suns find acceptable, and they (could say) yes, even if Kevin Durant doesn’t want to go there. But until then, the Heat, the Rockets, and Spurs could have to step up at this point, or the window is open for some random team to come out of nowhere and get a deal done.”
Durant’s reluctance is a significant hurdle.
The Timberwolves, led by president of basketball operations Tim Connelly, see Durant as the missing piece to complement Anthony Edwards. This is an interest dating back to February’s trade deadline, when the Wolves explored a deal but were stymied by salary cap constraints.
Now, with the Suns open to trading Durant, who has one year left at $54.7 million, Minnesota has rekindled talks, reportedly offering packages centered around veterans like Rudy Gobert or Julius Randle to keep Phoenix competitive. Young stud Rob Dillingham might also be on the table.
Seemingly, Durant’s admiration for Edwards, forged during their 2024 Olympic gold medal run, hasn’t translated into enthusiasm for Minnesota’s frigid winters or older arena, factors that have historically deterred other stars.
The Suns, focused on escaping luxury tax prison, are prioritizing the best return, even if it means sending Durant to a non-preferred team.
As O’Connor noted, KD’s standoff leaves the door ajar for wildcard teams.
The Heat, Rockets, and Spurs have yet to meet Phoenix’s demands, with Houston’s offer involving Jalen Green and the 10th pick reportedly falling short.
Will KD get moved before the NBA draft on June 25? We’ll know soon enough.
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