Kevin Durant Reportedly Prefers Spurs Trade amid T-Wolves, Heat, Rockets Rumors
Kevin Durant’s trade preference reportedly is one of the most exciting young teams in the league.
Per The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Jon Krawczynski, the Phoenix Suns star prefers to be traded to the San Antonio Spurs over other interested teams such as the Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat and Houston Rockets.
While Durant’s preferred landing spot is San Antonio, the Spurs don’t have as much enthusiasm for him as they’ve “been conservative in their pursuit” of the 36-year-old, Amick and Krawczynski noted.A core of Durant, Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox would almost certainly be able to compete in a loaded Western Conference, but San Antonio might not be willing to sacrifice its future for the 36-year-old, who has just one year remaining on his current contract
To land KD, the Spurs would almost certainly have to give up either one of their key young pieces or valuable draft picks. San Antonio has a coveted selection this year, the No. 2 pick, and reportedly doesn’t want to trade it as the team eyes Rutgers star Dylan Harper.
Amick and Krawczynski noted that Durant has just the Spurs, Rockets and Heat as his current preferred trade destinations, though all three of those teams’ offers have come up short so far.
The 15-time All-Star reportedly has “no desire” to play for the Timberwolves, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, but the Suns “are still hopeful that Durant might warm to the Timberwolves possibility,” per Amick and Krawczynski.
The Wolves reportedly have been the “most aggressive” in their pursuit of Durant, but their efforts could be frivolous if he is unwilling to budge on the idea of going to Minnesota.
Of course, Durant does not have a no-trade clause in his contract, meaning the Suns have no obligation to send him to one of his preferred locations. If the Timberwolves are willing to trade for a potentially unhappy Durant, Phoenix would likely bite at the right offer.
The Toronto Raptors conducted a similar trade in 2018, landing Kawhi Leonard despite his wishes not to join the team. While he spent just one year with the Raptors, his time there yielded them a championship.The Timberwolves, who have been on the brink of reaching the Finals in the last two seasons, could get over the hump and win a title if they make a move for Durant, even if it cost them their future
