Kevin Durant 'very unlikely' to land with Eastern Conference powerhouse

After firing Tom Thibodeau, the New York Knicks are shrouded in uncertainty. The front office is searching for a new head coach, with multiple targets reportedly under contract with other teams around the NBA. 

Outside of the Knicks' coaching situation, rumors have started to swirl regarding the current roster construction. The Knicks' capitulation at the hands of the Indiana Pacers has likely contributed to those rumors. 

Nevertheless, SNY's Ian Begley appears to have shut down one of the more prevalent talking points. During a Monday appearance on the "Bart & Carlin" show for ESPN New York, Begley reported that it's "very unlikely" Kevin Durant arrives in  Madison Square Garden this summer.

"My intel all along has been it's very unlikely to happen," Begley said. "...I would be very surprised if he ended up here in New York for many different reasons. And so if I'm a Knicks fan and I'm wondering, hey, where are they going to go? Are they going to trade for Giannis, trade for KD? Where are they going? I would not put a ton of stock in anything you see on Durant and the Knicks at this point."

A bidding war for Durant's services will likely occur in the coming months. Multiple teams will believe he's the missing piece in their hopes of contending for a championship. 

However, adding the veteran forward doesn't make much sense for New York. They pushed their chips all-in last summer, and the front office will likely want to see their new coach's impact before deciding whether to make any significant changes.

Durant is still a superstar talent. He is certainly capable of elevating a roster toward contention. However, New York's current roster doesn't need a major overhaul. Instead, some slight tweaks around the fringes make more sense. 

Therefore, Knicks fans may need to accept that Durant won't be walking through the door, and instead, some veteran rotational talent is the most they can hope for. In truth, though, that could be all the team needs to take the next step.