Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant is widely expected to be on the move again, with the New York Knicks reportedly monitoring the situation closely. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said, “The Knicks are definitely a team that’s going to have some interest in Kevin Durant – along with a handful of others.”
36-year-old Durant enters the final year of his contract with Phoenix, which carries a $54.7 million cap hit. He will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2026. After a disappointing 2024–25 season and the recent hiring of head coach Jordan Ott, the Suns appear ready to move on from Durant.
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A trade would close the book on a brief and underwhelming chapter in Phoenix for Durant, who hasn’t reached the NBA Finals since 2019 with the Golden State Warriors. Last season, he averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 62 games, but the Suns failed to reach the play-in tournament.
Going to Town with Towns
Windhorst also outlined how the Knicks could structure a deal, identifying Karl-Anthony Towns as the likely centerpiece.
“The way the Knicks get this done is Karl-Anthony Towns,” Windhorst explained. “That’s just the way the trade rules work. Otherwise, they’d need to send out three rotation players.”
Towns, 29, enters the second year of a supermax contract with a $53.1 million salary for the upcoming season, closely aligned with Durant’s cap hit, making him a logical candidate for a straight-up trade under current CBA rules.
On his podcast, ESPN’s Zach Lowe confirmed that offseason trade discussions around Durant are intensifying. He named the Miami Heat as a legitimate suitor. He mentioned the Los Angeles Clippers as a potential destination, though he questioned whether they could offer enough to satisfy both Phoenix and Durant. Lowe also cast doubt on Durant’s willingness to reunite with former teammate James Harden.
Other reports have linked Durant to the San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors, while insiders believe the Suns prefer to receive future draft picks over established veterans in any deal.
