{"id":143665,"date":"2025-06-06T15:06:58","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T19:06:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=143665"},"modified":"2025-06-06T15:06:58","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T19:06:58","slug":"knicks-made-move-for-kevin-durant-at-the-trade-deadline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/06\/06\/knicks-made-move-for-kevin-durant-at-the-trade-deadline\/","title":{"rendered":"Knicks Made Move For 26 PPG Scorer At The Trade Deadline"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>NEW YORK<\/strong> \u2013 The <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/category\/knicks\/\" target=\"_self\">New York Knicks<\/a> aren\u2019t sitting still. After <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/06\/03\/four-key-reasons-why-knicks-got-rid-of-tom-thibodeau\/\" target=\"_self\">firing<\/a> head coach Tom Thibodeau, they\u2019ve made it clear: changes are coming. They\u2019re ready to reshape their roster and aim higher next season. Yes, the <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/duranke01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kevin Durant<\/a> to the Knicks buzz is real, but it started all the way back at the trade deadline.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Knicks Made Move For Kevin Durant At The Trade Deadline<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3>The Knicks Revisited a Kevin Durant Pursuit<\/h3>\n<p>At the NBA trade deadline, New York didn\u2019t just think about Durant. They picked up the phone. ESPN\u2019s Shams Charania revealed the Knicks made a serious offer for the two-time Finals MVP.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&quot;The Knicks made an offer for Kevin Durant at the NBA trade deadline&quot; &#8211; Shams Charania \ud83d\udc40 <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/NxVKZNiZKo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/NxVKZNiZKo<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/awfulannouncing\/status\/1930717120410869859?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">June 5, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere was mutual interest between Kevin Durant and the Knicks,\u201d Charania said.<\/p>\n<p>Durant, who averaged 26.6 points per game this past season, stayed put in <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/category\/suns\/\" target=\"_self\">Phoenix<\/a>. But the Suns\u2019 disappointing finish\u201411th in the West\u2014made one thing obvious: the Durant era in the desert will soon be over.<\/p>\n<h3>Phoenix Suns Head Toward a Shakeup<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_143694\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-143694\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-143694\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26304069_168415934_lowres-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"The Knicks tried to trade acquire Kevin Durant during the trade deadline \" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26304069_168415934_lowres-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26304069_168415934_lowres-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26304069_168415934_lowres-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26304069_168415934_lowres-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26304069_168415934_lowres-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26304069_168415934_lowres-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26304069_168415934_lowres-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-143694\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">May 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Kevin Durant attends a WNBA game between the Atlanta Dream and LA Sparks at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Reports have made it clear that Phoenix plans to shop Durant this summer. ESPN\u2019s Brian Windhorst nearly guaranteed it. He didn\u2019t hedge his words. He called a trade \u201cinevitable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Suns are looking for a shakeup too. They\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/06\/03\/suns-set-special-price-for-kevin-durant-a-position-for-others\/\" target=\"_self\">demanding help at center.<\/a> That opens an intriguing door for New York.<\/p>\n<p>With rumors swirling, many insiders believe the Knicks might rekindle their\u00a0Kevin Durant deadline interest. They\u2019re one of a couple of teams equipped with enough veteran pieces to pull off a deal.<\/p>\n<h3>Karl-Anthony Towns Could Be the Key<\/h3>\n<p>Enter <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/t\/townska01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a>. He underperformed in the playoffs. A <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6395011\/2025\/05\/31\/knicks-loss-pacers-nba-playoffs-brunson-towns\/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=twhq&amp;source=twitterhq\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">report<\/a> in <em>The Athletic<\/em> pointed fingers at both Towns and Thibodeau after the Knicks\u2019 conference finals loss. Thibodeau&#8217;s gone now. Towns may be next.<\/p>\n<p><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bookede01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Devin Booker<\/a> and Towns are close friends. The Suns might want to pair Booker with a big man he trusts. That move would give them interior presence and salary relief while the Knicks get their elite scorer.<\/p>\n<p>Would it be enough to secure a Durant trade to the Knicks? It doesn&#8217;t seem likely with reports that the Suns have no interest in acquiring Towns. It&#8217;s unclear if the Suns want to bring back <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bridgmi01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mikal Bridges.<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Why the Knicks Still Want Durant<\/h3>\n<p>Durant isn\u2019t what he was in 2017, but he\u2019s still lethal. He dropped almost 27 points per game last season, hit 52% from the field, and still draws double teams.<\/p>\n<p>Adding Durant gives New York a go-to scorer who thrives in pressure situations. Brunson needs help carrying the offense. Durant could give him that help and elevate the Knicks from good to elite.<\/p>\n<p>New York fell just two wins shy of the NBA Finals. One more scoring option could\u2019ve changed that. With Thibodeau out and the East still wide open, this is the right time for bold moves.<\/p>\n<h3>Can New York Make It Work?<\/h3>\n<p>The big question: Do the Knicks have enough to make the deal happen? They already spent five first-rounders to land Bridges. That likely removes them from the <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/antetgi01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/a> sweepstakes.<\/p>\n<p>But Durant may come cheaper than expected. The Suns want a reset, not a rebuild. Veteran talent like Bridges, <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/anunoog01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">OG Anunoby<\/a>, or <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/robinmi01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mitchell Robinson<\/a> could be part of the mix.<\/p>\n<p>The Knicks would still need to make the salaries match and may include a future pick. But this is one of the most plausible paths to a Knicks-Kevin Durant trade deadline redo.<\/p>\n<h3>What Comes Next?<\/h3>\n<p>Durant\u2019s trade watch will dominate headlines this summer. If the Knicks remain aggressive, they could land the biggest name available outside of Giannis.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019ve already shown interest. The mutual desire was there in February. Now, with more time and shifting priorities, a deal could finally happen.<\/p>\n<p>Durant in New York? It\u2019s not just speculation anymore. It\u2019s unfinished business.<\/p>\n<p><label>Credit: <\/label>\u00a9 Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NEW YORK \u2013 The New York Knicks aren\u2019t sitting still. After firing head coach Tom Thibodeau, they\u2019ve made it clear: changes are coming. They\u2019re ready to reshape their roster and aim higher next season. Yes, the Kevin Durant to the Knicks buzz is real, but it started all the way back at the trade deadline. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":143696,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[352,306,213,69,1484,1616,98,1382,1082],"class_list":["post-143665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-devin-booker","tag-giannis-antetokounmpo","tag-karl-anthony-towns","tag-kevin-durant","tag-mikal-bridges","tag-mitchell-robinson","tag-nba-draft","tag-nba-trade","tag-og-anunoby"],"modified_by":"Frederick Okocha","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=143665"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":143721,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143665\/revisions\/143721"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/143696"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=143665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=143665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=143665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}