It looks increasingly likely that the Phoenix Suns will move on from Kevin Durant during the offseason. It’s a tough decision that the Suns have to make, but ultimately, they aren’t in a position to win a championship right now. They need as many assets as possible. If the Suns move on from him, the New York Knicks could greatly benefit from a potential deal.Â
In a proposed trade idea from Michael Saenz of Sir Charles in Charge, the Knicks would land Durant. Saenz cited that if the team loses in the Eastern Conference Finals, they’ll need a legitimate wing scorer to come in and play with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.Â
âEven though I do believe that the Oklahoma City Thunder are probably going to the championship, the New York Knicks aren’t entirely out of the championship picture just yet. But if (or when) the Knicks fall short of winning a title this season, there’s reason to believe that they could enter the offseason in hopes of making a splash move via trade. One very realistic target for any team that feels close to winning a title could be Kevin Durant.
âIf the Knicks lose in the conference finals and feel the need to add an offensive-minded wing to help the team take another step forward next season, KD could be a natural fit. Plus, with just one year left on his contract, he wouldn’t be that costly of a deal to make. In theory, KD would be an excellent fit next to Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns,â he wrote.
What Would the Knicks Have to Give up in a Kevin Durant Deal?
There could be some issues with the New York Knicks attempting to trade for Durant.
It’s tough to say what the Phoenix Suns want for him right now, but the Knicks aren’t stacked with picks, something the Suns should be looking for, considering where they stand as an organization.
If the New York Knicks make a trade for Durant, there’s a good chance that Towns would be involved in the deal.Â
For salary purposes, the Knicks would have to move around other pieces. However, Towns would be the easiest to trade in that deal, and unless the team is willing to move on from Brunson or OG Anunoby, which wouldn’t make any sense, Towns would be the likeliest player to be traded.
Moving Karl Anthony-Towns Makes the Most Sense
Dan Favale of Bleacher Report believes the Knicks could be a landing spot for him, but added that the only way they’d want to trade for Durant is if they want to get out of Townâs contract and the Suns or another team wants to take it on.Â
“Any Kevin Durant-to-the-New York Knicks scenario is predicated on the latter wanting to get out of the Karl-Anthony Towns business and the Suns (or another team) really wanting to enter it,” Favale wrote.
“Yes, the Knicks have other salaries to move around. But they aren’t dealing Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby is too pivotal if you’re keeping Towns, and the optics of rerouting Mikal Bridges for a soon-to-be 37-year-old after you mortgaged the farm to get him aren’t great.”
Towns is a very good player, but at this stage of both players’ careers, it’s wrong to say that Durant still isn’t better. Even being as old as he is, the 36-year-old is coming off a season where we averaged 26.6 points, shooting 52.7% from the field and 43.0% from 3-point range.
Durant is arguably the greatest scorer in NBA history for a reason, and would be an excellent pickup for the Knicks if it happened.
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