Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Timberwolves' Reason for Passing Kevin Durant Trade Revolves Around Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated Jun 23, 2025 6:25 PM ET

The Minnesota Timberwolves were interested in trading for Kevin Durant, but the NBA legend didn't want to play for the Timberwolves.

At this time, it's unknown why Durant didn't want to get traded to Minnesota. Durant and Anthony Edwards are tight friends. They were teammates last summer on Team USA, and Durant is Edwards’ favorite basketball player.

However, Durant wanted to be traded to the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs or Miami Heat, and he got his wish, as the Rockets have agreed to acquire the 15-time All-Star from the Phoenix Suns.

The Timberwolves and the Suns discussed a trade involving Durant, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Phoenix wanted Rudy Gobert, but Minnesota didn't want to part ways with its center.

The Timberwolves also didn’t see Durant and Julius Randle as an ideal pairing defensively.

“The Timberwolves were concerned about trading for Durant when Minnesota wasn’t on his preferred list of destinations,” Scotto wrote.

“In addition, the Suns desired Rudy Gobert in trade talks, and losing their French defensive anchor to pair Julius Randle and Kevin Durant in the frontcourt together wasn’t seen as an ideal pairing defensively, HoopsHype has learned.”

The Timberwolves have qualified for the conference finals twice in a row. They lost to the Dallas Mavericks in five games last year and fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games this year.

Durant won four scoring titles and the 2014 MVP Award with the Thunder and back-to-back rings and Finals MVPs with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018.

However, the future Hall of Famer hasn’t gotten past the second round of the playoffs since leaving Golden State in 2019.

Edwards and the Timberwolves swept Durant and the Suns in the first round of the 2024 playoffs.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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