The Western Conference got a ton more interesting when the Minnesota Timberwolves acquired LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets earlier this offseason.
The trade immediately made the Wolves more interesting, but maybe not better or worse. They landed a 24-year-old offensive-minded guard to help take some of the load off Anthony Edwards’ shoulders, but it meant having to surrender star two-way big man Naz Reid (who’s a pretty darn good 3-pointer shooter, too!).
Star forward Jaden McDaniels will help some in manning the frontcourt for the Wolves, but he is often better suited playing closer to the perimeter. That may be why Minnesota might want to pick up the phone to make one more blockbuster trade. This time for Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant.
This Trade Sends the Timberwolves Kevin Durant, the Player Who Has Been on Their Radar
GettyHOUSTON, TEXAS – APRIL 10: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half at Toyota Center on April 10, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
Why trade for Durant? Because he is a (still elite) seven footer who would slot cleanly next to Edwards and Ball as the Wolves starting power forward.
In a hypothetical trade scenario, the Wolves receive Durant and send the Rockets elite defensive big man Rudy Gobert, the sharpshooting Donte DiVincenzo, 25-year-old rising star Terrence Shannon Jr. and a 2029 first-round pick swap.
Although losing Gobert would undoubtedly hurt Minnesota’s defense, adding Durant would deliver so much offense. And, yes, surrendering Shannon, a fan favorite in the Twin Cities, would sting, but Durant would make the Wolves a serious threat to knock off the both teams that took them out in the previous two seasons — the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.
Minnesota would roll out a starting lineup of Ball, Edwards, McDaniels, Durant and promising young big man Joan Beringer.
Now that’s some crazy firepower.
Would the Timberwolves Actually Consider Moving Rudy Gobert?
GettyRudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on during an NBA game.
Yes … he forced Nikola Jokic — arguably the NBA’s best player — into the worst playoff series of his career. Not having a player to battle Jokic might spook some Wolves fans, but here’s the idea…
On paper, a Durant trade is easy to understand. The 37-year-old remains one of the NBA’s most gifted scorers, and pairing him with Edwards and Ball would give Minnesota one of the league’s most explosive offensive trios.
Gobert is still among the league’s premier interior defenders and was instrumental in Minnesota’s six-game series upset over the Denver Nuggets last spring. (He had plenty to do with the usually uber-efficient Jokic recording three games shooting 40% or less from the floor.)
Gobert’s rim protection often allows the Timberwolves’ perimeter defenders to play more aggressively, knowing they have an elite safety net behind them. Removing Gobert from the equation would place far more responsibility on Beringer, who, despite his upside, remains an unproven commodity.
That is where Durant’s versatility is, well, potentially gamechanging. Plug a scoring maching who’ll average 25 points per game while shooting 52% from the field next to the attacking game of Edwards and the permieter brilliance of Ball — does that team have enough to score a trip to the Finals?
Hmm…
Whether Houston would seriously entertain such an offer is another matter, though the recent rumor mill suggests the Rockets might not consider Durant an untouchable asset.
For the Wolves, take this as a proposal worthy of strong consideration.
Timberwolves Proposed to Land Kevin Durant for 3 Players in Blockbuster Trade