Timberwolves dodged a bullet with rejected superstar trade

Before the Phoenix Suns eventually traded Durant to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft, the Timberwolves reportedly had "in-depth discussions" with the Suns, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst. 

Per Windhorst, the Suns sought a deal featuring four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, reserve guard Donte DiVincenzo, second-year wing Terrance Shannon and the No. 17 pick, which Minnesota used to select 18-year-old French center Joan Beringer, but Durant wasn't interested in joining the Timberwolves.

That trade would have paired All-Star Anthony Edwards with his childhood hero in Durant, but it also would have decimated the Timberwolves' depth. That's three players from Minnesota's projected rotation next season, with Shannon expected to take many of the minutes from the departed Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

Durant is still a very good player, but he's also turning 37 in September. Last year he missed 20 games after missing 35 in 2022-23, 30 in 2021-22 and 37 in 2020-21.

That unavailability is manageable on a team with plenty of depth, like the Rockets and their myriad of front court players. If they traded for Durant, the Timberwolves would have to scramble for players to replace Gobert, the anchor of their defense. They'd still have Edwards, but adding Durant to Devin Booker in Phoenix was a disaster due to their lack of depth — and lacking a center who could play defense.

Perhaps the Wolves front office would welcome it as a cost-cutting move — Gobert is owed nearly $110M the next three seasons — but Durant is even costlier, at $54.7M with a looming two-year, $122M extension.

Unless the Wolves had some moves lined up to get a new center and more bench players, they're likely better off with Durant passing on the Twin Cities and saving them from themselves.