Kevin Durant will not be coming to Minnesota after all.
The weeks-long rumors and speculation around Durant’s future came to an end Sunday afternoon as ESPN reported the Phoenix Suns agreed to a trade with the Rockets to send Durant to Houston for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 overall pick in this week’s NBA draft and multiple second-round picks.
The Wolves had interest in Durant extending back to February’s trade deadline, but it appeared he did not have interest in them.
Last week, national reports surfaced that Durant had a preferred list of teams that he wanted to play for and sign an extension with next. The Wolves were not a part of that list, but the Rockets were.
A source told the Minnesota Star Tribune at the time that it was “unlikely” a trade would materialize between the Wolves and Suns, despite the fondness Durant and Anthony Edwards have for each other. Durant was Edwards’ favorite player growing up while Durant spoke glowingly of his time playing with Edwards in the 2024 Olympics, where both won a gold medal on Team USA.
Even though the Wolves had interest in Durant, they also value the depth that carried them to the Western Conference finals for the second consecutive year. With the Durant negotiations now in the rearview, they can turn their focus to retaining their own free agents, who include Julius Randle, Naz Reid (both of whom have player options) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is an unrestricted free agent. They also have the No. 17 and No. 31 overall picks in the draft, which begins Wednesday.
Reid said at the end of the season he was set to opt out of his deal and that hasn’t changed as free agency approaches, a source said. His option is worth around $15 million. Randle’s, set for $30.9 million, could entice him to opt in, given that not a lot of teams have money to spend this free agency. Alexander-Walker figures to make up to the full midlevel exception, which is around $14 million.
The Wolves may not have room to retain all three under the punitive second apron of the luxury tax and avoid the roster-building restrictions that come with being over that threshold. Under that scenario, Alexander-Walker may be the one most likely to end up going elsewhere.
