Report: Hawks ownership eyeing Kevin Durant

The Hawks still don’t have a President of Basketball Operations, and it appears they might not hire one at all, allowing new general manager Onsi Saleh to run the show, who replaced Landry Fields when he was relieved of his duties.

However, no matter who is in charge of the Hawks, it’s been well-documented that ownership will be heavily involved in the decision-making process. They are the ones who pushed hard for Dejounte Murray a few offseasons ago against then-general manager Travis Schlenk’s wishes, and a recent report suggests they already have their eyes on their next marquee target — Kevin Durant.

“One league source told Hoops Wire not to be surprised if the Hawks get involved in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes. While they have yet to hire a president of basketball operations, team ownership has already inquired internally about Durant, sources said,” NBA insider Sam Amico writes for Hoops Wire.

The Hawks were rumored to have contacted the Suns at this year’s trade deadline about Durant’s availability. Phoenix never budged, but it’s widely expected that they will move the 15-time All-Star and former League MVP this offseason. The question remains: What does a 36-year-old with one year remaining on his contract at nearly $55 million fetch in a trade?

Even if Kevin Durant has shown no signs of slowing down — he averaged 26.6 points on 52.7% shooting from the field and 43.0% from deep — would the Hawks, or any other team, be willing to part ways with multiple members of their young core and draft picks for his services? Especially considering the fact that there is no guarantee Kevin Durant will remain in Atlanta past the 2025-2026 season.

Any deal for Durant will come with an incredible amount of risk. With that being said, the Hawks aren’t exactly a destination city for superstars across the league. If they ever want to land a bona fide stud to pair with Trae Young, they are going to have to overpay. That’s just the nature of the business when you don’t have the cache of cities like New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami.