Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) celebrates after a play during the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Footprint Center.
After the New York Knicks lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Indiana Pacers in six games, the focus now is an analysis on how they can improve going into the offseason. With the Knicks already surrounded by rumors, Bill Simmons would have an interesting trade proposal that is sure to have fans possibly scratching their heads.
His trade surrounds star Karl-Anthony Towns, where he would say a one-for-one deal where he is sent to the Phoenix Suns for forward Kevin Durant. Simmons would point to the connection between Towns and Suns guard Devin Booker and how they have “known each other since they were kids.”
“Let me throw this one at you, Towns for Durant,” Simmons said on his self-titled show. “I think Durant has a year left, but you can extend him. The salaries actually work as a one-for-one. Towns, if you remember, has a whole friendship history with Booker. Like they’ve known each other since they were kids, they have the same agent. I remember we got pitched this at The Ringer in 2019. Towns, Booker, and Russell all wanted to do a podcast together, and they all lived in different places, and we were like, there’s no way. Like now we would have the technology.”
Bill Simmons further explains how the Knicks can get Kevin Durant
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New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts after a play against the Indiana Pacers in the third quarter during game six of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) and center Al Horford (42) and guard Jrue Holiday (4) react in the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks during game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden.
New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau speaks to his team on the bench during a time out during the fourth quarter of game two of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
While fans have already made some trade proposals with the Knicks star in Towns, this one returns an elite player like Durant, though it would be understood that he's in the twilight years of his career. Simmons would argue that it's almost a win-win scenario for each team as Phoenix gets back a highly productive player in Towns and New York gets an impact player in Durant.
“If they don’t have a ton of outs with Durant, and if you’re the Suns, you don’t have a lot of ways to get better,” Simmons said. “If Booker loves Towns, and I think they’re still buddies, is that a way to get out of the Durant business. Then, if you’re the Knicks, you have this one-year run with Durant. You can talk yourself into Mitchell Robinson 30 minutes a game. You’re out of the Towns' defense business; you kind of sold high. You got out of Randle, you got out of Towns with this big contract coming.”
Last season in his first with the Knicks, Towns averaged 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 52.6 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc. It remains to be seen what happens with Towns, but New York looks to improve after losing to Indiana in the Eastern Conference Finals.