Jalen Brunson, Knicks
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Jalen Brunson with teammates during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers on May 27, 2025.
The New York Knicks are clinging to their playoff lives, and one national analyst is already looking ahead to what’s next. If their Eastern Conference Finals run ends short of a Finals appearance, one radical idea could change their fortunes — and the league’s landscape.
On a recent episode of The Herd, FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd floated a scenario where the Knicks would trade Karl-Anthony Towns to the Phoenix Suns for none other than Kevin Durant.
“I would move off a talented, erratic KAT. They need KD, because you’re going to get KAT’s points. You’re going to get 23 to 25, and he can play complementary basketball,” Cowherd said via The Herd with Colin Cowherd.
For now, it’s just a pitch. But it checks enough boxes that it might not be far-fetched.
Knicks Would Be All-In With Durant
While Towns has thrived back home in New York and fits well alongside Jalen Brunson, this proposal would be a reunion of a different kind. Towns and Devin Booker were college teammates at Kentucky — a pairing that could reignite chemistry in the desert.
Durant, meanwhile, could give the Knicks the kind of short-term firepower they need. Their championship window wouldn’t be long, but it could burn hotter than ever.
The projected starting lineup? Mitchell Robinson, Durant, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Brunson — with Josh Hart coming off the bench like he did in Games 3 and 4 against the Indiana Pacers. That’s a deep, switchable group with shooting, size, and defensive edge.
It’s speculative, yes. But this is New York — where big swings are expected, not avoided. They’ve gone all-in before. And if they fall short of the NBA Finals, why stop now?
Could the Knicks Actually Do This?
The Knicks have already proven they’re willing to be aggressive. Over the last 18 months, they’ve overhauled their roster, bringing in Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns. This offseason could be even wilder — especially if they feel they’re just one superstar away.
Durant may be 36, but he’s still one of the most lethal offensive players in the league. His game would age well next to Brunson’s, and the Knicks wouldn’t need him to carry the load every night. Just deliver in the big ones.
For the Suns, the trade might offer a chance to reset around Booker and Towns, two players with long-standing chemistry. Towns’ ability to stretch the floor fits the modern game — and his age timeline better aligns with Booker’s.
And for Durant? It would be a return to the East, to the biggest stage of them all — Madison Square Garden. If the Suns are open to change, and the Knicks are bold enough to ask, don’t be surprised if this rumor starts to gain traction fast.
The door isn’t open yet. But it’s not locked either.