“KD wanted the New York Knicks; he wanted to go there … the Knicks have no interest in bringing him in.”
That was the message from ESPN’s Marc J. Spears on NBA Today Monday afternoon, sparking immediate conversation around Kevin Durant’s potential exit from the Phoenix Suns. While Durant has reportedly shown interest in the San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, and Houston Rockets, the New York Knicks, once enamored with the two-time Finals MVP, are no longer in the conversation.
Yes, the same Knicks who cleared cap space and rolled out the red carpet in 2019 to land Durant. The same franchise that once believed a superstar was the only way out of irrelevance. Fast forward to now, and New York reportedly turned Durant down ahead of the trade deadline — choosing instead to trust the chemistry and cohesion of the 2024–25 campaign.
And look where it got them.
The Knicks need to avoid the mistakes of their past
The Knicks reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years. They didn’t just light up Madison Square Garden — they lit up the entire city. It wasn’t a Durant-led superteam. It was Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges, recreating the magic of Villanova in the heart of Manhattan. Karl-Anthony Towns hit dagger threes in crunch time. A fully healthy Mitchell Robinson protected the rim like a madman.
Meanwhile, three time zones west, Durant’s season played out very differently.
Still elite at age 36, averaging 26.6 points per game, Durant watched his Suns collapse. Bradley Beal was inconsistent and injury-prone, Mike Budenholzer failed to gain traction as the new head coach, and Phoenix’s lack of depth made them a non-factor in the West.
So… what if the Knicks had said yes?
On paper, a Durant-Brunson-KAT trio is terrifying. The floor spacing. The shot creation. The championship pedigree. But every reward comes with risk — and Durant brings plenty of both.
To land him, the Knicks likely would’ve needed to sacrifice two starters, gutting a bench that was already thin. He’d be walking into a locker room with a new head coach and fragile chemistry. Sound familiar? It should. That was the story in Brooklyn. And now in Phoenix.
Durant’s greatness isn’t in question — but his fit is. In New York, where the culture is finally built on trust, unity, and effort, plugging in a star of Durant’s stature could blow it all up. This isn’t about collecting names. It’s about building something real — and the Knicks are doing just that.
So next time the “What if KD came to New York?” question creeps into your head, take a sip of your morning coffee or close your eyes before bed and remember:
Kevin Durant to the Knicks? Just a fever dream. And they’re better off for it.