Knicks not interested in trade for Kevin Durant, source says
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant. Credit: AP/Nikki Boertman
Exactly what the Knicks will be next season remains to be seen.
But there has been clarity on what they won’t be, and that means that despite reports of their interest they won’t be in the bidding for Kevin Durant. There is also a growing list of coaches who won’t be leaving their current teams to take over in New York.
Durant has been given permission by the Suns to seek a trade that would clear the 36-year-old off Phoenix's books after another stellar season individually, but a disappointment as a team. ESPN reported Wednesday that the Knicks were among a group of five teams, along with the Rockets, Spurs, Heat and Timberwolves, that Durant and his business partner are interested in working with on a deal.
But a league source said that despite the Knicks being listed the team was not interested in making a trade for Durant, who is entering the final year of his contract after playing 62 games and averaging an efficient 26.6 points per game.
The Knicks clearly were not satisfied with the results of the current season, firing coach Tom Thibodeau just days after the team lost in the Eastern Conference finals — deeper into the playoffs than the franchise had gone in 25 years. But that also reflects a belief in the core of the roster and the need for a new voice.
Whether they are correct in what the problem was will come to light next season with the bar set nearly impossibly high for the next coach. And who will be that coach remains a mystery.
According to reports, the Knicks were denied permission by the Rockets to speak to Ime Udoka, the Timberwolves to speak with Chris Finch, the Hawks to speak with Quin Snyder, the Bulls to speak with Billy Donovan, and on Wednesday morning by the Mavericks to speak with Jason Kidd.
As far as the roster, team president Leon Rose has moved in silence with nearly every deal he has made. But Durant is not the move and it makes sense with his age and the cost it would take to match salaries — either Karl-Anthony Towns, whose $53.1 million salary next season would match Durant’s $54.7 million salary in the final year of his contract, or a combination of players from the rotation probably starting with OG Anunoby’s $39 million salary or a sign-and trade with Mikal Bridges, who is eligible for a four-year, $156 million extension.
The Knicks went through a long process in 2020 when they hired Thibodeau as Rose’s first move, interviewing 13 candidates despite having Thibodeau at the top of the list the entire time. And while they may be taking a similar tact this time, the circumstances are far different. In 2020 they were starting out with a new regime to rebuild the culture. Now, the next coach will step into an NBA Finals-or- bust set of expectations.
“Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans,” Rose said in a statement when they announced Thibodeau’s departure, adding “ . . . Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward.”
A league source indicated that the denial by the Mavericks might not be the final step in the Knicks' pursuit of Kidd, and another league source said that the Knicks' requests for permission to speak to the three employed coaches is just due diligence, gathering intel and compiling a complete list of potential candidates.
There are certainly established candidates available right now without having to worry about compensation or permission. Mike Malone was let go by Denver and Taylor Jenkins was fired by Memphis — both in the final weeks of the regular season — despite Malone winning a title in Denver and Jenkins earning Coach of the Year honors. Mike Brown was fired early in the season by Sacramento with a Coach of the Year award on his resume. Former Knicks associate head coach Johnnie Bryant’s name has been rumored as a candidate and he would hardly need an interview after spending four seasons with the team before moving to Cleveland last summer to serve as associate head coach for Kenny Atkinson.
Meanwhile, Thibodeau issued a heartfelt thanks to the fans, the Knicks coaching staff and players Wednesday with a full-page ad in The New York Times, noting, “I am proud of everything we accomplished together, including four playoff appearances and this year’s run to the Eastern Conference finals — our first in 25 years.” He did not thank the front office or ownership who let him go after five seasons.
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
