Kevin Durant has listed three teams as his ideal trade destinations: the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, and Miami Heat. One team he didn’t mention? The Minnesota Timberwolves, whom he previously expressed no interest in joining.
Fans were disappointed. A pairing of Anthony Edwards and Durant would’ve made massive headlines, combining the old face of the league with the new. But that dream might not be dead just yet. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Minnesota isn’t done exploring options.
“From my understanding, Minnesota isn't out of it… they are still very much engaged and active in the Kevin Durant conversations.”
Timberwolves continue pursuit of Durant, despite KD's wishes
Just a few days ago, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that Minnesota was one of the most active teams pursuing Durant, despite his lack of interest. The Timberwolves have established themselves as one of the most talented teams in the Western Conference, making two consecutive Western Conference Finals appearances — with different core rosters.
Now, Minnesota faces a challenging offseason. They must decide whether to bring back key rotational players like Naz Reid and Julius Randle, both of whom could hit the free agency market — or make a bold move to pair Edwards with a proven champion.
But there’s one glaring problem:
The Timberwolves simply don’t have the assets to make a viable trade — one that would shift the momentum of their team in a significant way. History has shown us that trades for superstar players come at a steep cost. For some teams, it's draft capital. For others, it's existing roster talent.
If Minnesota were to make a serious offer, it would likely cost them two to three rotational pieces plus draft capital — just to match Durant’s contract. With Durant projected to make $54.1 million in the 2025–2026 season, acquiring him via trade would place enormous “win-now” pressure on a franchise that’s already proven it can succeed without him.
“The Rockets and the Heat are more realistic as of right now for Kevin Durant,” Charania added.
The Miami Heat can only offer so much without sacrificing either Tyler Herro or Bam Adebayo. The Houston Rockets have the draft capital and depth to get a deal done, but have shown hesitation given their current roster makeup. If the Spurs remain the lone team with reported interest — but no action — the Timberwolves might still have a legit shot.
The question isn’t when we’ll see a trade.
It’s whether Suns owner Mat Ishbia is willing to risk making Kevin Durant unhappy on his way out the door.