Kevin Durant has long been at the center of trade speculation, and he hasn’t hidden his interest in potentially joining teams like the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, or Miami Heat. These Western and Eastern Conference squads have been linked to the superstar forward in various reports. However, recent reports reveal that Durant also had his eyes on two unexpected Eastern Conference giants during the last trade deadline.
According to NBA insider Kevin O’Connor, Durant attempted to push for a trade to the Boston Celtics or the New York Knicks during the deadline. But both destinations seem unlikely now.
“Durant has already been denied by his top choices. There were rumblings at the trade deadline KD wanted to land with the Celtics or Knicks. New York’s interest reportedly isn’t mutual anymore. Boston’s cap sheet and trajectory make that scenario highly unlikely,” O’Connor wrote.
O’Connor isn’t alone in breaking this development. Veteran NBA reporter Marc J. Spears also recently confirmed that Durant had interest in joining the Knicks, but the team did not reciprocate. Spears’ report aligned with earlier information shared by another respected NBA insider, Marc Stein. According to Stein, the Knicks were among the few teams on Durant’s shortlist of preferred destinations should a trade be pursued.
Shams Charania Reveals Rockets And Heat As Top Contenders For Kevin Durant
During a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, ESPN insider Shams Charania gave a revealing update on Kevin Durant’s potential future destination. According to Charania, the Rockets and Heat are the most realistic landing spots for Durant at this moment, overtaking earlier mentions of the Spurs.
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“The Rockets and the Heat are more realistic as of right now for Kevin Durant. There’s more motivated teams than the Spurs. What the other teams are offering is just a little bit more aggressive,” Charania said.
The Rockets and the Heat are more realistic landing spots for Kevin Durant than the Spurs at the moment, per @ShamsCharania
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 17, 2025
(Via @PatMcAfeeShow ) pic.twitter.com/ebdibTvDQA
Durant’s desire to move on comes after a difficult stretch with Phoenix. Over the past two and a half years, he has faced both inconsistency and organizational instability. Despite his consistent on-court excellence, Phoenix struggled to build around him effectively. Last season, Durant remained one of the NBA’s most prolific scorers. But the Suns failed to secure even a Play-In tournament berth.
Also Read: Eastern Conference Team Reportedly Open To Trading 2025 NBA Draft Pick For Kevin Durant
