Although the NBA Finals continue to move forward, trade rumors are also beginning to heat up around the league. Recent reports suggest that Kevin Durant could be traded soon. Teams such as the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves have been mentioned as possible suitors for the Phoenix Suns star. Which potential landing destination does Stephen A. Smith of ESPN believe is the best fit for Durant?
“Well, I think the team that desperately needs him more than any of them is the Miami Heat,” Smith said before Game 4 of the NBA Finals. “They really don’t have anything, they need a star. They need somebody that’s a number one option on the offensive side of the ball… That’s what Kevin Durant is.”
The Heat make sense as a trade suitor for Durant. With that said, Smith believes the Timberwolves would instantly become a true championship contender by acquiring the 36-year-old.
“But if you’re talking about a team that automatically elevates the championship stature, that’s gonna be the Minnesota Timberwolves,” Smith added. “You give Anthony Edwards Kevin Durant to defer to when he wants to? Look the h*ll out.”
Smith later said Durant and Edwards would be a “championship-caliber duo.”
Nothing is necessarily guaranteed as of this story’s writing. A trade does seem likely to come to fruition, though. In addition to the aforementioned three suitors, the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs have also been listed as possibilities.
Durant is still one of the best pure scorers in the entire NBA. He would turn many fringe contenders into true threats, such as the Heat. Meanwhile, a team like the Timberwolves — that has reached the Western Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons — would likely emerge as a realistic NBA Finals contender with Durant on the roster.
The NBA Finals have been exciting up to this point, but the Kevin Durant trade situation is capturing plenty of attention as well.
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