Insider: Knicks, Kevin Durant Still Have 'Mutual Interest'

The first pitch has been thrown at Yankee Stadium, but it might be officially spring only because the first Kevin Durant to the New York Knicks rumor has been tossed.

ESPN insider Shams Charania reported that "mutual interest" persisted between Durant and the Knicks, who were one of several teams that supposedly inquired about the current Phoenix Suns star's services at the most recent trade deadline.

"Back at the NBA trade deadline, there was a list of teams that [had] mutual interest," Charania said on Wednesday's edition of "The Pat McAfee Show." (h/t New York Basketball on X). "That's Minnesota, that's New York, that's Houston, San Antonio, Miami, those are the types of teams, from my understanding, that had interest then and I expect them all to be in the mix this offseason."

"There's going to be changes coming to Phoenix barring a miracle finish to the year. ... From a roster perspective, that's going to start with Kevin Durant."@ShamsCharania shares some trade possibilities for Kevin Durant as the regular season closes 👀 (Via @PatMcAfeeShow) pic.twitter.com/EzXlYRqylR
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 2, 2025

Durant and the Suns may be inching toward a divorce considering the lack of championship progress in their high-profile union. Entering Wednesday night play, the Suns (35-41) were a game-and-a-half out of the fourth and final Western Conference Play-In Tournament spot, and a rebuild could thus be looming.

Hardwood fanfiction linking Durant and the Knicks has long persisted, even when Durant spurned the Knicks for a tour with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019. Durant, who turns 37 in September, is averaging 26.6 points on over 52 percent shooting in 62 appearances with the Suns this season.

Exactly what the Knicks, who are mostly depleted of trade assets after acquiring Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, could offer the Suns in what Charania says would take a "pretty good haul" for Durant's services is unknown at the moment.

He does, however, hint that Durant could be inclined towards a team that pulls off a respectable playoff run, which could give the Knicks something more to play for, even if they're not expected to be one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference.

"The biggest thing to keep an eye on for all NBA fans and fans of those teams: how does your team finish in the playoffs? How do the playoffs go?" Charania said. "That's really going to determine who feels like they're a Kevin Durant away."

The Knicks are currently slated to face the Suns on Sunday evening at Madison Square Garden, but Durant may not play due to an ankle injury.

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