Barring a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals next month, the rumors of the New York Knicks pursuing Kevin Durant this summer are likely to continue for the next few months. And one team insider seems to think one player in particular would be a lock to be included in the package going back to the Phoenix Suns.
This is going to be a big couple of months for the Knicks. It will be the proof of concept that the talented starting five team President Leon Rose gave up a bunch of trade chips to put together is for real. And there are serious fears this group could disappoint after struggling against the Eastern Conference’s elite all season long.
That is why there has been speculation that New York could make big changes again this summer. A name that continues to be linked to the team is 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant. The Suns need to move him to get out of salary cap hell. And there were reports the NBA legend and Knicks had “mutual interest” in a trade before the deadline in February.
During an appearance this week on FanDuel’s “Run it Back,” New York Post NBA insider Stefan Bondy explained what it would take for the team to make a Durant trade, and the player likely going back in a deal.
“It all depends on what happens in the playoffs. Mikal Bridges; they traded five 1st round picks to get him. If for whatever reason they bomb in the playoffs and Mikal Bridges is up for a contract extension after this season and they decide that’s not the direction they want to go, then I could see a movement towards a player like Kevin Durant,” he said.
How likely is a New York Knicks trade for Kevin Durant?
Bondy also mentioned that if the Knicks “have an encouraging playoff and they see this headed in the right direction,” then they will maintain the status quo for another season. It would likely take a first-round ouster or getting swept by the Boston Celtics in the semifinals to make the team consider a move for Durant.
While it might have seemed unlikely months ago, the reports about the team’s interest in the future Hall-of-Famer shows it is just more than random speculation. The Suns pretty much have to move Durant this summer. The big question is whether New York has enough pieces to get a deal done.
Despite being traded for Durant three years ago, Bridges would appeal to the Suns. He has grown as a player since his first stint with the franchise. And if things don’t work out, he comes off the books after next season. But they don’t have a bunch of draft assets anymore. So they might have to include OG Anunoby in a trade as well.
While a trio of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Durant sounds great on paper, it could be a mess defensively. But in today’s game, defensive is a secondary priority.
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