Knicks Turn Down Chance to Add All-Time Scoring Great

However, the Suns were not interested in Towns, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports.

“I have heard that the Suns don’t have interest in Karl-Anthony Towns,” Gambadoro said. “I was told that… With the Knicks, (PHX) more likely would like an OG Anunoby or Mikal Bridges, but not a Karl-Anthony Towns.”

Towns is a close friend of the Suns franchise star Devin Booker. The All-NBA center have long dreamed of teaming up with Booker again when he was still with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Another trade framework that would have worked in a Durant deal was shipping Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson and Tyler Kolek to the Suns.

Knicks Made Kevin Durant Offer at Trade Deadline

On June 5, ESPN’s senior NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the Knicks made an offer to the Phoenix Suns for Durant at the trade deadline.

“On Kevin Durant, I will say this: There was some mutual interest between Kevin Durant and the Knicks at the trade deadline. The Knicks made an offer for Kevin Durant at the NBA trade deadline,” Charania said.

Apparently, the Knicks had a change of heart after the team fell short in the Eastern Conference Finals. A Durant deal would have gutted the Knicks’ roster that is already short of depth.

Durant is a two-time champion and Finals MVP. He’s also a four-time scoring champion and No. 7 on the NBA all-time scoring list. This past season, Durant earned his 15th All-Star berth. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 62 games while shooting a highly efficient 52.7% from the field, including 43% from the 3-point line.

Knicks Clowned For Bizarre Coaching Search

With the Durant saga in their rearview mirrors, the Knicks are now focused on finding their next coach to succeed Tom Thibodeau, who just guided the team to their most successful season in 25 years.

They have been the butt of jokes on social media and talk shows after they received rejection after rejection in their bid to poach an active NBA coach.

The Chicago Bulls (Billy Donovan), Atlanta Hawks (Quin Snyder), Houston Rockets (Ime Udoka), Minnesota Timberwolves (Chris Finch) and Dallas Mavericks (Jason Kidd) have firmly rejected the Knicks.

While it’s not uncommon to request to speak with active NBA coaches, getting rejected by five teams is unprecedented.

NBA legend and TNT analyst Charles Barkley slammed the Knicks’ coaching search.

“The Knicks gotta be the stupidest damn people in the world,” Barkley said. “You don’t fire a good coach like that and don’t have a plan. I mean, Thibs did a hell of a job, obviously something’s going on there.”

“You’ve gotta have a plan, man, and they don’t have a plan,” Chuck added. “I don’t know what the hell they’re going to do.”

“They are in the conversation [for the dumbest people in the world].”

The Knicks have since moved on from their poaching attempts and instead will interview free agent coaches Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins next week, according to The Athletic.