Kevin Durant Trade Rumors: Inside Timberwolves' Pursuit of Suns Star at NBA Deadline
The Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly attempted to land Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant ahead of the NBA trade deadline in February.
According to NBA reporter Jake Fischer, "Minnesota's own approach for Durant was serious enough, sources say, that the Timberwolves were calling rival teams over the final few days before the Feb. 6 deadline buzzer sounded. The Wolves were working the phones in hopes of finding avenues to get under the NBA's second luxury tax apron and then be able to aggregate contracts, all with the intent of landing Durant and his $51 million salary this season next to his Olympic running mate Anthony Edwards."
A Durant pursuit made sense for Minnesota. The 31-27 Wolves have struggled to find a true No. 2 option for Edwards this season after trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks. Julius Randle (18.9 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 4.5 APG) has served in that role, but Durant (26.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.4 BPG) would have been a massive upgrade.
Edwards has also noted in the past that Durant was his favorite player of all time.
"My GOAT? Man, this is going to sound crazy, but Kevin Durant," Edwards told ESPN's Malika Andrews in Feb. 2024. "... I've always just been a fan, watching him play as a kid. He's the first seven-footer I've seen putting the ball on the floor, scoring off the dribble, so I've always been a big fan."
Suffice to say, Edwards would have absolutely signed off on a Durant acquisition.
Instead, the Wolves stood pat, one of four teams to not make a trade ahead of the deadline. Currently they are seventh in the Western Conference, just one game back of the Los Angeles Clippers for the final guaranteed playoff berth, but also just 3.5 games ahead of the Suns, who sit at 11th in the West. Minnesota's path to the postseason very well may go through the Play-In Tournament.
And if the Wolves miss the playoffs altogether, the decision to not make any moves ahead of the deadline will not be remembered fondly in Minny.
