Where will Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant land this month?
KD is on his way out of Phoenix, and sources are asserting that Durant will be on a new team before the 2025 NBA draft (June 25).
Durant and his agent, Rich Kleiman, are reportedly evaluating potential destinations, with the Knicks being mentioned as a potential landing spot by ESPN's Shams Charania.
However, Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor recently poured cold water on the idea, suggesting the Knicks are unlikely to pursue the two-time NBA Finals MVP this summer.
“On Wednesday, we got more reporting around the future of Kevin Durant,” O’Connor said on an episode of The Kevin O'Connor Show. “Shams Charania over at ESPN said that Kevin Durant and his agent Rich Kleinman are now assessing his future and figuring out the best plan forward for him ... (Charania) cited the Rockets, the Spurs, the Wolves, the Heat, and the Knicks as the primary teams that are suitors for Kevin Durant or that are on his list as preferred destinations to go to."
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"Of those teams, initially, I think the Knicks are unlikely to go for him,” O’Connor continued. “It's been reported out of New York today — multiple reporters said the Knicks aren't pursuing KD. That's my impression, as well. Maybe it's just smoke screens and they actually love him and they actually want him, but I don't think the Knicks route is completely realistic.”
The Knicks’ reluctance to trade for KD would make sense given their roster and financial constraints.
After acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges last offseason, New York is coming off its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years. Trading for Durant, who will earn $54.7 million in 2025-26 and turns 37 in September, would require parting with significant assets, potentially including OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, or Mitchell Robinson.
With only one year left before he becomes a free agent in 2026, any acquiring team, including the Knicks, would likely need Durant to sign a two-year extension, a risky commitment for an aging player with recent injury history. The Knicks, already committed to Towns through 2027-28, may prefer to preserve flexibility rather than double down on another aging star.
While the Knicks made an offer for Durant at the 2025 trade deadline, reportedly involving Anunoby and Robinson, the deal fell through, and current indications suggest they’re pivoting to other targets, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Despite the allure of Durant returning to New York—where he spurned the Knicks for the Nets in 2019—the practical barriers are significant.
O’Connor’s assessment suggests Knicks fans should temper expectations for a blockbuster KD trade this summer. Instead, New York may focus on refining its current core, leaving Durant to chase his third ring elsewhere, perhaps with Houston, San Antonio, or Miami.
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