For any Knicks fans who have been holding their breath and hoping that they can land Kevin Durant in a deal this offseason, it may be time to release a long, sad exhale. Ian Begley of SNY, speaking on the Bart & Carlin show, reported that he would "be very surprised if he [Durant] ended up here in New York.” The update comes as rumors have swirled that the Knicks were looking to make a big splash to update their roster.
ICYMI on @ESPNNewYork:@BartScott57 & @ChrisCarlin ask @IanBegley how likely it is that Kevin Durant gets traded to the Knicks pic.twitter.com/FxGeFWuQ0v
— Bart & Carlin (@BartAndCarlin) June 9, 2025
The Knicks have been at the center of multiple rumors in the early goings of their offseason. From who will potentially be their head coach next season, to looking to add a 'landmark' player, there has been no shortage of fake trades and potential additions to keep fans' minds occupied.
The Knicks did their due diligence
While Begley was clear that his intel all along has made it seem very unlikely that Durant would be traded to the Knicks this offseason, he did note that he does not doubt that the Knicks inquired about Durant last season.
That would make sense, as Druant has been linked to the Knicks multiple times throughout the years, and almost any front office would at least make a call when a player of Durant's caliber is potentially available.
The Knicks are smart to stay away
While many fans will undoubtedly be disappointed that it appears the Knicks won't be making a push for the former MVP, it is ultimately the right decision.
Durant is still an elite scorer and one of the most efficient players in the game. Last year, he averaged 26.6 points, 4.2 assists, and 6 rebounds per game, all while knocking down 52.7 percent of his shots from the field and 43 percent of his shots from three. That said, he will be 37 years old by the time the 2025-26 season rolls around. Father Time comes knocking for us all eventually, and as good as Durant still is, it is hard to imagine he won't start declining fairly steadily.
To acquire Durant, the Knicks would have to offload one or multiple starters from last year's team. It would significantly shorten the Knicks' championship window, which just seems to have fully opened. Getting a big name like Giannis Antetokounmpo would be one thing, but it is harder to imagine the Knicks would be willing to reshuffle their roster to bring in a player of Durant's age.