The Phoenix Suns acquired Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets in a midnight deal ahead of the NBA’s trade deadline. It was widely believed they were the only team with a legitimate chance to land KD, but that didn’t stop other teams from trying.
In a series of recent podcasts, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons suggests that the New York Knicks, one of Brooklyn’s chief rivals, also made a push to acquire Durant.
“I know the Knicks were the other team," said Simmons, as transcribed by Real GM. "It’s unclear to me if they were a real pursuer, or if they were trying to jack up the price for KD with the Suns kind of hoping maybe Booker down the road.
“I think the Booker Knicks thing… just way down the road. He’s not a free agent until 2028, but if this turns into a situation where they have their run for three years and then it’s a rebuild and Devin Booker is like ‘Alright, well we had our run, we won our title, whatever.'”
Simmons added that the Knicks would have likely offered up RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin and a slew of draft picks for Durant.
“I do think the Knicks were involved,” Simmons reiterated.
Durant has been linked to the Knicks in the past but nothing ever materialized. It is also believed that he preferred the Suns this time around and ultimately got his wish.
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