Kevin Durant is going to be on the move again as his Hall-of-Fame career continues on its back-nine.
The 11-time All-NBA honoree and perennial All-Star is working with the Phoenix Suns on a trade with one more season on his four-year, $194.2 million contract remaining.
Per ESPN‘s Shams Charania, the New York Knicks are one of five teams that have expressed interest in the 37-year-old, alongside the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, and Minnesota Timberwolves. Just hours later, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reported the contrary, saying New York is not involved.
Durant is still remarkably consistent even while playing for a Suns squad that failed to make the playoffs. He averaged 26.6 points per game while shooting 43% from three-point range. His defensive game has always been passable, as well, which would further pique the Knicks’ interest.
Despite making their first conference final in 25 years, the Knicks are at a crossroads after firing head coach Tom Thibodeau. Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges’ future with the team—they were acquired in massive trades last summer—is up in the air as the right supporting cast for star point guard Jalen Brunson still needs to be tweaked.
While Towns was an All-Star and a force offensively, his defense as a center was a liability, especially down the stretch. By the time Thibodeau finally inserted Towns into a power-forward role with the defensively gifted Mitchell Robinson at the 5, it was too late to save New York’s season.
Durant would provide an alternative option at the 4 over Towns, which would allow Robinson to move back to a starting role at center and bolster the team’s defense. Granted, parting ways with Towns would put further stress on team president Leon Rose to find legitimate frontcourt depth with Robinson’s extensive injury history.
Once he is traded, Durant would be eligible for a two-year contract extension beginning July 6 that could be worth as much as $112 million.
