As the 2025 NBA offseason approaches, Kevin Durant’s future remains a hot topic.
With trade rumors swirling around the Phoenix Suns’ superstar, a new report on Tuesday revealed that Durant had his sights set on a surprising destination at the 2025 NBA trade deadline: the Boston Celtics.
Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor discussed this during a new episode of The Kevin O'Connor Show.
“Durant has already been denied by his top choices," O'Connor said.
"There were rumblings at the trade deadline KD wanted to land with the Celtics. Boston’s cap sheet and trajectory make that scenario highly unlikely.”
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The Durant news has sent some Celtics fans into a frenzy imagining a world where Durant donned the green and white alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Durant’s interest in Boston isn’t entirely new. The Celtics pursued him in 2016 free agency and again in 2022 when he requested a trade from Brooklyn, with a reported offer including Brown, Derrick White, and a first-round pick.
Yet, the 2025 trade deadline chatter marked a fresh chapter in this saga.
Could KD to Boston still happen?
At 36, Durant remains a scoring machine. His desire to join a contender like Boston, fresh off a 2024 championship, makes sense, especially after Phoenix’s playoff miss despite their league-high payroll.
However, O’Connor’s quote highlights why the move was a non-starter. The Celtics can’t aggregate salaries or take back more salary than they send out, making Durant’s $54.7 million remaining salary nearly impossible to absorb without gutting their core.
Trading players like Jrue Holiday ($32.4 million) or Kristaps Porzingis would be necessary just to get under the apron, and even then, additional assets like Brown or Tatum would likely be required—moves that don’t align with Boston’s blueprint.
Moreover, Boston’s deep, versatile roster reduces the need for a high-risk Durant trade.
Heading into 2025-26, with Tatum sidelined by an Achilles injury, the Celtics are focused on trimming salary to avoid repeater tax penalties, not adding a soon-to-be 37-year-old star with one year left on his deal.
Durant’s interest in Boston reflects his championship aspirations, but the Celtics’ financial and strategic realities make it a pipe dream.
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