Report: Timberwolves, Nets, Suns Discussed Kevin Durant Trade, Durant Sent Out Word He Doesn’t Want To Play For Minnesota

According to Matt Moore, the Minnesota Timberwolves, Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns discussed a Kevin Durant trade that would have sent the NBA legend to Minnesota. 

However, the trade didn’t happen because Durant sent out word that he doesn’t want to play for the Timberwolves. 

“League sources have said the Nets were brought in as a potential third-team in a deal construct, which would have helped move money and contracts to help both teams reshape their rosters,” Moore wrote. “(No idea what they were getting or sending, but I would speculatively bet Nic Claxton to Phoenix was part of those talks.)

“But then KD did what is his right, and sent out word that he doesn’t want to play there.”

Durant wants the Suns to trade him to the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets or Miami Heat. The Spurs are Durant’s number one preferred landing spot. 

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards and Durant were teammates on Team USA last summer. The two All-Stars helped the United States win the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. 

Edwards has said many times that Durant is his favorite basketball player of all time.

The Timberwolves have made the conference finals two years in a row. They lost to the Dallas Mavericks last year and fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder this year. 

According to Sam Amick and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, the Timberwolves will not trade for Durant if he’s “not on board with the move.”

Minnesota has been made aware that Durant wants to play for the Spurs. 

The Suns are hoping that Durant changes his mind about playing for the Timberwolves since they could acquire Julius Randle or Rudy Gobert in the blockbuster trade. 

“The Timberwolves do not want to make a seismic change to a roster that advanced to the Western Conference finals if Durant is not on board with the move, team sources said,” Amick and Krawczynski wrote. “The question now is whether there’s any chance of Durant coming around to the idea.”

Phoenix hasn’t been impressed by offers from Miami, Houston or San Antonio. 

“With the offers from the Spurs, Rockets and Heat coming up short to this point, league sources say the Suns are still hopeful that Durant might warm to the Timberwolves possibility,” Amick and Krawczynski wrote. 

Durant played in 62 games for the Suns this season. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.2 blocks while shooting 52.7% from the field, 43.0% from beyond the arc and 83.9% from the free-throw line.