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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 27: Kevin Durant watches the game between the Atlanta Dream and the Los Angeles Sparks during an 88-82 Atlanta Dream win at Crypto.com Arena on May 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The NBA Finals are in full swing, but what may come this summer in the form of blockbuster trades involving multiple former MVPs is still garnering plenty of headlines.
Along with constant rumors involving Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, trade chatter surrounding Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns has been a dominant conversation topic among NBA talking heads this spring as well.
During Thursday morning’s edition of “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” Zach Lowe of The Ringer revealed that two teams are generating the “most buzz” in the sweepstakes of “KD” — the Minnesota Timberwolves and the San Antonio Spurs.
Furthermore, Bleacher Report’s Joseph Zucker wrote that while Lowe indicated that Minnesota and San Antonio “appear to be the teams at the front of the line for now,” the latter added that “the biggest mystery in the league right now is how aggressive the Spurs are actually gonna get.”
“Having acquired De’Aaron Fox ahead of the 2025 NBA trade deadline, San Antonio is bound to make another big splash at some point. The Fox deal didn’t deplete the Spurs’ trade capital as they have draft picks, pick swaps and younger players in Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle and Jeremy Sochan that will be attractive to other teams. The question for that franchise is whether it’s close enough to contending for the Finals to justify such a short-term play,” Zucker wrote. “Durant will be 37 when the 2025-26 season tips off. The 15-time All-Star continues to play at a high level for his age, but he’s clearly past his peak. He also missed 20 games, with minor injuries being a recurring theme over the last few years. Depending on what it takes to ultimately get KD, waiting for the next star to land on the trade block might be the better play for the Spurs.”
Spurs, Timberwolves Have Been Connected to KD For Weeks
The Spurs and Timberwolves have been at or near the top of a crowded pack of contenders for Durant’s services next season for weeks, if not months.
Following Minnesota’s season-ending loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals in May, it was reported that the Timberwolves attempted to acquire the 2013-14 MVP during the regular season.
More recently, it was reported that Durant and San Antonio had mutual interest in a possible trade this summer.
The future Hall-of-Famer has already been traded twice in his career.
Durant was sent from the Golden State Warriors (where he won both of his NBA championships) to the Brooklyn Nets in July 2019 and then from the Nets to the Suns in February 2023.
Minnesota, San Antonio Among Top 5 ‘Landing Spots’ For Durant, But Not No. 1
Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus revealed his current ranking of the “Top 5 Landing Spots” for Durant on Thursday and had both the Spurs and Timberwolves on his list. Minnesota was No. 5 on the countdown, however, and the Houston Rockets were placed ahead of San Antonio at No. 1.
“Assuming Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Jaden McDaniels aren’t available, the Timberwolves would need (Julius) Randle to opt in to make a trade viable. Others such as Rob Dillingham, Mike Conley, Terrence Shannon Jr. or Donte DiVincenzo would need to be included as outgoing salary. Without Randle, Minnesota would need to include one of Gobert or McDaniels,” Pincus wrote in his analysis of the Timberwolves’ chances of trading for Durant. “The greater challenge is draft compensation. Outside of Nos. 17 and 31 in the draft, most of the Timberwolves’ future picks are spoken for. On paper, a deal between the two seems built on the concept that Phoenix really wants Randle (and he opts in).”
Even though the Spurs haven’t made the playoffs in six years, they have one of the most promising rosters in the NBA, led by 2023-24 Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama.
“(Stephon) Castle may not be available, even for Antetokounmpo. Still, there’s a world where San Antonio believes Durant has three still-elite years in him that could power the team to postseason success, which may mean giving up the lottery picks. The Spurs also have the Atlanta Hawks’ first in 2027 and enough draft compensation to get something done without Castle,” Pincus wrote. “The more challenging aspect might be finding the necessary salary to acquire Durant, which presumably requires a combination of Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and possibly Harrison Barnes. The Spurs have more to offer regarding immediate draft compensation than the Houston Rockets. The rest is more subjective based on player preference.”