The New York Knicks will certainly be star hunting this offseason, and they could be in the mix for the top trade candidate on the market. On Monday, the Phoenix Suns fired head coach Mike Budenholzer after a horrific season that went way below their high expectations.
The Knicks will likely pursue Kevin Durant this offseason
The Suns are expected to move on from several key pieces in the summer, including superstar Kevin Durant. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Suns are “expected to work with Durant and his business partner and Boardroom CEO Rich Kleiman on the next landing spot for the future Hall of Famer.”
Durant, who will turn 37 by the start of next season, is still one of the top players in the league despite his advanced age. He averaged 26.6 points and 6.0 rebounds in 62 games with the Suns this season and would have been firmly in the All-NBA conversation had he reached the minimum requirement of 65 games played.
The Knicks don’t have as many draft assets to move this time as they did last summer. New York traded away five first-round picks to bring in Mikal Bridges, who has an up-and-down campaign with them this year.
However, they wouldn’t have to give up too much to bring in Durant because of his older age. The Knicks have a championship window and are looking to win right now, and they can add Durant at a rather affordable price.
The Knicks would become immediate title contenders by adding Durant
A deal involving one of Bridges or OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson and some draft capital could get a supposed deal done. The Suns need younger pieces that can be useful long-term and desperately need draft assets to help with a rebuild, and the Knicks have those at their disposal.
The Knicks were in hot pursuit of Durant back in 2019 when he hit free agency, but he opted to sign with the Brooklyn Nets across town. Durant would later state in 2024 that Kleiman wanted to see him in a Knicks uniform back in 2019, but that they were “not cool” at the time.
This time around, the Knicks are in a competitive landscape and can be in title contention if they were to add Durant to the mix. Of course, they won’t be the only team pursuing him, as the rest of the league is sure to keep tabs on his situation.
However, the Knicks have a strong chance to add him to an already championship-caliber team. His market will become more clear as the offseason commences for the rest of the league, but he will certainly be one of the most prized players available on the market this summer.