Souhan: Should Timberwolves trade for Kevin Durant?

Should the Timberwolves trade for Kevin Durant?

Will the Timberwolves trade for Kevin Durant?

If Wolves boss Tim Connelly thinks the answer to Question No. 1 is “Yes,” then the answer to Question No. 2 will also likely be “Yes.”

The Wolves are perched at the pinnacle of franchise history, having made it to two consecutive NBA Western Conference finals. Connelly created that success, in part, by making fearless trades.

This summer, he faces another dramatic series of decisions, involving Julius Randle, Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and his developing young players.

As of this moment, my best guess is that Julius Randle stays; Reid stays if he can’t find a massive deal on the open market; and Alexander-Walker leaves to save money and create playing time for youngsters like Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark and perhaps Leonard Miller.

But those assumptions are based on Connelly not doing something dramatic, and Connelly almost always does something dramatic.

On the Wolves’ current path, they could continue to be highly competitive for years, but may lack the star power to win it all.

Will Connelly divert their current path, and try to win it all in the next year or two? If so, Durant would be his most likely target.

Durant is one of the greatest scorers in league history, and is friendly with Wolves star Anthony Edwards. He would give the Wolves a crunch-time scorer who can get his shot off any time against any one, and he may be able to mentor Edwards in the dark arts of clutch shooting.

Connelly would have to rip apart his current roster to land Durant, but he may be willing to do so if he thinks Durant can put the team over the top.

Can Durant put this team over the top?

You can find enough variance in Durant’s career to view him positively or negatively.

Pro: He did win two titles by playing alongside Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green when they were all in their prime. Durant was the NBA Finals MVP both times the Warriors won the title.

Con: The Wolves have a talented roster, but they don’t have that kind of talent, and Durant is eight years older than he was then. He will turn 37 before the 2025-26 season begins.

Pro: Durant is liked and respected by other NBA players.

Con: Durant hasn’t won anything in his past two stops, in Brooklyn and Phoenix, and each of those franchises became disappointing and dysfunctional. Durant might not have been to blame, but he wasn’t a cure-all, either.

Pro: Durant remains a highly effective shooter, and a great three-point shooter. His shooting range and efficiency would make the Wolves offense more reliable and create space for Edwards. He would immediately give the Wolves a better half-court offense.

Con: At this point in his career, Durant isn’t much of a defender, and isn’t as dynamic in the open court.

Pro: Durant’s arrival would mean the departure, one way or another, of several veterans, which would open playing time for some of the Wolves’ most talented youngsters.

Con: We have no idea whether the Wolves’ youngsters are ready to play major roles on a team desperate to win now. Remember, one of the reasons fans love young players starved for playing time is that the young players haven’t played enough to publicly demonstrate their flaws.

Pro: Edwards has proved his unselfishness in the way he played alongside Karl-Anthony Towns and Julius Randle. Durant’s game probably is a better complement to Edwards’ game than that of either Towns or Randle.

Con: Durant isn’t the rebounder that Towns was, or the defense-collapser that Randle is.

Pro: Durant will be highly motivated to prove he is a winner, and that his teams’ struggles in Brooklyn and Phoenix were aberrations — or someone else’s fault.

Con: At this point in his career, Durant might be a great shooter who doesn’t drive franchise success. Remember, in Phoenix he played alongside two excellent players in Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, for an ownership team that tried to quickly buy a championship, and it all fell apart.

Trading for Durant would be a risk. Connelly might believe that not trading for him is a bigger risk.