If Kevin Durant wants to go to the New York Knicks, he might find himself disappointed in their level of interest.
The Knicks are not planning to pursue a trade for Durant, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. While Durant might have some level of interest in playing for the Knicks, that feeling reportedly is not mutual. The Knicks reportedly are “not in the mix” for him.
Durant is widely expected to be traded by the Phoenix Suns this offseason, with the team likely to help facilitate a move to Durant’s preferred landing spot. The Knicks have been named as one of several teams involved in discussions about a Durant trade, but those discussions may have already been cut short.
The Knicks had been viewed as a logical landing spot for Durant in light of how close they came to the NBA Finals. The team has a solid core in place led by Jalen Brunson, though the team has largely exhausted its supply of future draft picks in assembling that core. That might be one reason the Knicks are reluctant to make such a massive move.
There is also some uncertainty surrounding where the Knicks stand at this point. Their search for a new head coach has run into a significant roadblock, and they do not have an immense amount of roster flexibility right now. This might not be a great time to launch an all-out pursuit of Durant. Instead, the Knicks might prefer to focus on running it back with their current core under a new coach.
Reports have indicated that Durant may prefer to go to a different team anyway, leaving the Knicks on the fringes.
