One of the biggest storylines of this NBA offseason is which team Kevin Durant will be traded to. Durant has one year remaining on his contract with the Suns, but is likely to be traded this offseason. Multiple teams across the league have expressed interest in trading for Durant, including the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, and the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Spurs are the current favorites to acquire Durant at +110 according to DraftKings Sports Book.
The Los Angeles Clippers have entered the mix as a possible suitor for Kevin Durant. The Clippers hope to pair Kawhi Leonard with Kevin Durant to improve their chances of winning an NBA Championship next season. The Clippers haven't appeared in the Western Conference Finals since 2021.
What would it take for the Clippers to land Kevin Durant?
According to Zach Lowe, the Clippers are likely to do something this summer that catches people off guard. If that something is a trade for Kevin Durant, the deal would likely break down over the inclusion of Ivica Zubac.
Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) says a deal where Kevin Durant goes to the LA Clippers would likely break down over the inclusion of Ivica Zubac, but he believes the Clippers are “going to do something this Summer that catches people off guard”: pic.twitter.com/B3dVTwzjGU
— APHoops (@APH00PS) June 10, 2025
If Durant were to join the Clippers, he would be reuniting with James Harden. Durant and Harden played together in Oklahoma City for three seasons and two with the Brooklyn Nets. Other pieces that the Clippers would likely have to give up in a trade to acquire Durant include Norman Powell, Bogdan Bogdanović, Derrick Jones Jr, and multiple draft picks
Why trading for Kevin Durant is not a smart move for the Clippers
In the summer of 2019, the Los Angeles Clippers acquired Paul George from the Oklahoma City Thunder, which at the time looked like it would result in the franchise winning its first NBA Championship. The trade, however, totally backfired as George is now playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Thunder have built a championship caliber team with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the multiple draft picks that they acquired in the deal.
If the Clippers were to make this trade for Durant, it would be similar to the Paul George trade in July 2019. The Clippers would have to give up away a lot of their depth and multiple draft picks that they will likely need, as the future of Kawhi Leonard remains uncertain.