The Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns did not achieve the success they expected with Kevin Durant, an all-time great player. As such, some believe Durant, 36, may no longer be the dominant player who won two Finals MVPs.
With Durant expected to be on the move again, teams around the league may be hesitant to part with a lot of pieces. However, the upside in trading for Durant is that he’s on an expiring contract of $54 million.
Yahoo Sports’ Tom Haberstroh proposed a trade pitch that would send Durant to the Knicks, with the caveat that the two parties could split after the 2025-26 season — if things don’t go swimmingly. The proposal would also bring back Richaun Holmes, an athletic big who could be a quality backup to starting center Mitchell Robinson. Holmes averages 16.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks PER 36 minutes in his career, and can be very effective in limited spurts off the bench.
Knicks would receive: Kevin Durant, Richaun Holmes
Suns would receive: Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks’ first-round swap in 2030
Wizards would receive: Miles McBride, Josh Hart, own 2026 first (top-8 protected)
Losing Hart, McBride Would Hurt
It’s worth noting that the Knicks would be forced to give up McBride and Hart, along with Towns, due to the NBA’s new CBA. As two second-apron teams, the Knicks and Suns can’t swap Towns and Durant, generating the need to include the Wizards.
“The Knicks add an all-time great for their title chase,” wrote Haberstroh. Towns reunites with Devin Booker in Phoenix. The Wizards … well, they help grease the wheels.
“The aprons make it difficult for the Suns and Knicks to swap KD for KAT straight-up due to their contracts not aligning perfectly. Hence, why Washington gets involved, adding 24-year-old Deuce McBride and regaining its full 2026 first-round pick rights in exchange for taking on Hart’s contract.”
Haberstroh acknowledged that, while the trade would make the Knicks a better team, the loss of Josh Hart, the team’s heart and soul for three seasons, and Deuce McBride, a solid two-way player, would hurt.
Durant Chose Nets Over Knicks
If the hypothetical trade comes to fruition, it would require Durant “blessing,” according to Haberstroh. Several other NBA insiders have noted that the Suns and Durant would be working together on finding the 15-time All-Star a new home.
Durant chose the Nets over the Knicks in 2019 when both teams had the cap space to sign him and potentially Kyrie Irving, who linked up with the sharpshooter in Brooklyn.
On an episode of “The Boardroom” in 2024, Durant and his agent, Rich Kleiman, had an open discussion on his reason for snubbing the Knicks for the Nets. Durant revealed that Kleiman wanted him to know the Knicks, but he preferred the Nets.
“The brand was cool, but at the time, you know I’m not looking at the cool brand outside of the game,” Durant said, via NYPost.com. “I was looking at the team, and the team was not cool to play for. The team was not cool to watch. It wasn’t a good team to watch. I might have embellished a little bit or lied a little bit about, like, the brand. I might have thrown the brand in there, too.”
“At that time, they weren’t [cool],” Durant said of the Knicks. “The Knicks weren’t cool, but they are a cool brand. … They’re popping right now. They’re playing well. The last few years, they were playing well.
“But before that, they weren’t playing well.”
