Despite reports that Kevin Durant has no interest in being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, a pair of NBA insiders recently detailed why the club should still be viewed as favorites in the trade sweepstakes.
“The Suns have made it clear to Durant’s camp that they need to prioritize the best return for the team in a deal,” The Athletic NBA insiders Sam Amick and Jon Krawczynski reported this week. “What’s more, they appear focused on landing the kind of impact players who can help now as opposed to prioritizing draft picks.
“The Wolves would seem to have options available to offer. With Rudy Gobert or Julius Randle headlining a package that could give the Suns hopes of contending. With the offers from the Spurs, Rockets, and Heat coming up short to this point, league sources say the Suns are still hopeful that Durant might warm to the Timberwolves possibility,” the added.
The Timberwolves just reached the Western Conference Finals for the second straight season this spring. On paper, they should be the preferred destination for the future Hall of Famer. If he really wants to win a championship soon. However, he obviously would prefer a return to Texas (where he was a star in college) or to be in South Beach next season.
While they may have the better offer right now, it doesn’t seem like the Timberwolves have a very good chance of completing a deal for the 15-time All-Star. So why do Amick and Krawszynski believe Minnesota is a real threat? Well, they claim a great example of how quickly things can change just happened earlier this year.
Why a Kevin Durant trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves is still very possible
“Back in February, disgruntled then-Heat star Jimmy Butler initially made it known to the Golden State Warriors that he was not interested in signing a contract extension if he was traded to the Bay,” the insiders wrote. “Butler’s preference, ironically, was to play in Phoenix.
“But when it became obvious that the Suns were going to be unable to come up with an offer that enticed Miami, Butler pivoted and cleared the way for a move to Golden State. Where he revived the flailing Warriors and helped lead them to the second round of the playoffs.”
The pair of insiders claim the Suns are “seriously underwhelmed” by the Rockets’ offer. The Spurs have taken a very conservative approach to discussions. While the Heat seem to fall far behind other teams in terms of the trade package they can offer.
That is why it makes sense that the Timberwolves remain in a strong position. Furthermore, they reportedly hope they can persuade him to stick around. And know there is a risk he can be one and done in Minny. At this point, the Rockets or Spurs improving their offers, or a new team jumping into the fray, is the biggest threat to the ‘Wolves’ pursuit of Durant.
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