The Minnesota Timberwolves are in the mix to land Kevin Durant in a potential blockbuster trade this summer after the Phoenix Suns failed to make the playoffs.
The Timberwolves are tied with the New York Knicks and Miami Heat at +700 on Bovada‘s Durant’s next team odds.
No. 2 seed Houston Rockets are the odds-on favorites at Bovada at +120, while the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs are tied as distant second favorites at +325.
Durant’s future, along with Bradley Beal, will come to focus this summer as the Suns look to re-tool around Devin Booker after they failed to make the playoffs amid championship expectations. Their disastrous season led to the firing of Mike Budenholzer, the second champion coach to get the pink slip in consecutive years after Frank Vogel, who fared better last year.
The Suns will be having a new head coach for the fourth time in as many seasons since Mat Ishbia bought the franchise in 2023.
The Suns nearly traded Durant back to the Warriors at the trade deadline. But Durant nixed the deal when he learned about it.
They are expected to revisit trade talks this summer, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
“Phoenix is expected to engage in trade conversations involving Durant and will have discussions on the future of Beal, according to sources. Multiple teams will seriously pursue Durant, who finished another stellar season, and the franchise is expected to work with Durant and his business partner and Boardroom CEO Rich Kleiman on the next landing spot for the future Hall of Famer,” Charania wrote.
Durant has one year left on his four-year, $194 million contract. He is due for $54.7 million next season.
Kevin Durant Had ‘Mutual Interest With Timberwolves
Charania reported on April 2 that Durant had mutual interest with five teams at the trade deadline.
“Back at the NBA trade deadline, there was a list of teams that there was mutual interest with Kevin Durant,” Charania said on “The Pat MacAfee Show” at the time. “Those teams, from my understanding, are Minnesota, that’s New York, Houston, San Antonio and 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. But the biggest thing to keep an eye on for all NBA fans and fans of those teams is: How does your team finish in the playoffs? How do the playoffs go? Because that’s going to really determine who feels like they’re a Kevin Durant away.”
Among those five teams, the Timberwolves were the most aggressive team to pursue the two-time champion and Finals MVP at the trade deadline after the failed Warriors trade, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“Another small market team to watch — the Minnesota Timberwolves,” Windhorst said on “Get Up” on Thursday, March 6. “Anthony Edwards and KD have a very tight connection, also from the Olympics. The Timberwolves tried to pull off a crazy trade at the deadline for KD. Look for them to revisit those talks this summer.”
Anthony Edwards’ Favorite Player of All Time
Edwards admitted he had mixed emotions after he led the Timberwolves in sweeping Durant and the Suns in the first round of the playoffs.
“I felt bad a little bit, only because he’s my favorite player of all time,” Edwards said. “I didn’t wanna send him home like that.”
The sweep signaled the beginning of an end to Durant’s era in Phoenix while it catapulted Edwards into one of the league’s stars.
The Timberwolves star averaged 31.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists in the four-game sweep of the Suns, capping it with a 40-point performance in Game 4.
Edwards and Durant later teamed up at Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Timberwolves Among Betting Favorites to Pair Anthony Edwards With 2-Time Champion