According to Jake Fischer of the Stein Line, the Kevin Durant sweepstakes may be heating up, and two frontrunners have reportedly emerged. League sources have cited the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat as the “most frequently mentioned potential landing spots” for the future Hall-of-Famer entering this weekend’s trade discussions.
“Things are fluid at this stage, but the two teams most frequently cited as potential landing spots for Durant entering Saturday’s business, league sources say, were Minnesota and Miami,” Fischer reported.
Durant’s future with the Phoenix Suns has been a topic of heavy speculation since their early playoff exit in 2024 and subsequent dismissal of head coach Mike Budenholzer despite forming a super team with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, the Suns underperformed and were swept by the Timberwolves in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. The following season, they failed to qualify for the playoffs. Reports suggest that Phoenix has begun lowering its asking price in trade talks, particularly in conversations with the Houston Rockets, as they try to regain control of their draft capital.
Why Minnesota?
The Timberwolves are coming off another impressive playoff run, advancing to the Western Conference semifinals before falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Adding Durant to the core of Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Jaden McDaniels could elevate Minnesota into true title contention. However, fitting Durant’s $49.8 million salary into the books would require a significant package or a collection of rotation players and future picks.
With Edwards ascending into superstardom and the Wolves already boasting a top-tier defense, Durant’s scoring and postseason experience could be the missing piece.
Why Miami?
The Heat have long been considered a destination for superstar talent thanks to team president Pat Riley’s aggressive front-office style and a “win now” culture that’s consistently made the most of limited assets. Despite losing in the Play-In Tournament this past season, Miami remains one of the NBA’s most respected organizations and has been linked to Durant multiple times in the past.
Pairing KD with Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo would immediately make the Heat one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference.
What’s Next?
Fischer emphasized that talks are still “fluid,” meaning there’s no imminent deal — but the buzz around Minnesota and Miami is growing. The Suns remain motivated to recoup draft capital and reshape the roster around Booker and Beal. If the market continues to develop, we may see serious movement ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.
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