The Kevin Durant rumors surrounding the New York Knicks may never fade, especially given the team’s recent success. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report proposed some potential trades to shake up the NBA this summer.
In one blockbuster trade proposition, the Knicks offer a large sum to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Durant. Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson highlight New York’s trade package headed to the desert.
In the proposed trade, the Knicks would also send fan favorite Miles McBride, the 24th selection in the 2024 NBA draft, and two future first-round picks (2025, 2028) to the Suns. The 2025 first-round pick comes from the Wizards and would be top-10 protected. Durant is acquired by New York to join Jalen Brunson and the Nova Knicks core.
Let’s look at whether this transaction makes sense for the Suns or the Knicks.
NBA Trade Proposal Has the Knicks Landed Kevin Durant for Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson Package?
Randle may have missed New York’s postseason run, but the big man has earned two consecutive All-Star appearances. The player has two seasons left on his four-year, $117 million contract.
Craig Carton suggests that Kevin Durant could be headed to the Knicks next year…
(via @TheCartonShow) pic.twitter.com/2czvpcwgsx
— KnicksMuse (@KnicksMuse) April 24, 2024
Randle has a player option that allows him to enter free agency as soon as 2025. Robinson has two seasons left on his four-year, $60 million contract, which runs through 2025-26.
The Knicks would inherit two more seasons of Durant’s four-year, $194 million contract. Durant has a large $51.1 million cap hit for the 2024-25 season.
The Suns have given no indication that the team wants to deal Kevin Durant.
The Suns have publicly stated that they intend to keep Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal together. However, this huge salary resulted in no postseason victory this season.
Rich Kleiman: “Do me a favor, clear up something you said 5 years ago, and admit the Knicks are cool”
Kevin Durant: “At that time they weren’t, the Knicks weren’t cool ..but they are a cool brand. Like right now, they popin right now, last few years they’ve been playing well”… pic.twitter.com/o2o2PRj7qx
— Knicks Nation (@KnicksNation) February 20, 2024
“If a megastar gets moved this summer—and that’s always a massive if—Durant seems like the most realistic possibility,” Buckley wrote in a June 19, 2024 post titled “NBA Trade Block Big Board: New Trade Ideas for Top 10 Targets.”
“The Suns would retain Randle as a star forward, add Robinson as an above-the-rim interior presence, and fill the functional-floor-general void with McBride.” They’d also add three first-round picks to their depleted draft stash, giving them enough room to search for more on the trade market,” Buckley said.
“The Knicks would finally have Durant and immediately count on him to provide the offensive support Jalen Brunson often went without during their playoff run.”
What would the Knicks receive in a trade for Suns superstar Kevin Durant?
Durant famously left the Knicks in 2019 to join the Brooklyn Nets alongside Kyrie Irving. Durant’s decision was not particularly beneficial.
The concern for New York and any other team considering a deal for Durant is how much the superstar has left at this point in his career. Durant averaged 27.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game last season, shooting 41.3% in 75 starts.
“Because I am so confident that Kevin Durant is going to the Knicks, this is not a lottery where the whole franchise is relying on these ping pong balls. The Knicks are going to be in a better position than they’ve been in since 1985 no matter what.” — @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/44aHCKJxvO
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) May 14, 2019
Durant’s production appears to indicate that he still has a lot to offer the Knicks and any other team. Durant was able to stay healthy this past year, but he lost considerable time in four consecutive seasons prior to 2023-24.