Top 5 NBA Landing Spots for Kevin Durant As Trade Winds Begin to Blow

5) Miami Heat

The Miami Heat seem to be mentioned every season when it comes to star players on the trade market. However, this offseason, they truly could be a squad looking to make a bold move after missing the postseason for the first time in forever.

With no clear No. 1 option on the roster (no disrespect to Tyler Herro), Durant could be a piece that Pat Riley feels can get them back in the mix in the East. However, Durant's interest in South Beach could be tempered by the team's lack of a supporting cast around him. Miami's depth issues could make it difficult for KD to talk himself into competing for another NBA Championship there, barring a guarantee that additional moves would be made.

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1) San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs seem to be the favorite to land Durant if/when he's moved and the preferred destination for the 36-year-old. San Antonio has one of the best young cores in the entire league, and their rebuilding process seems to have them on the verge of contention. With a star duo in De'Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama, the addition of Durant would get them one step closer and allow the former Texas Longhorn to play in the Lone Star State again. With plenty of assets to get a deal done, all eyes are on the Spurs, who now look to be in the driver's seat for Durant.

2) Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets have been a team many expect to be big fish hunting this offseason after being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Houston is another squad with plenty of young assets to dangle in front of the Suns' front office. Perhaps the most attractive asset is the No. 10 overall pick, also known as Phoenix's first-round pick in this year's NBA Draft, which the Rockets hold in their possession.

In addition to the contract fillers that Houston is prepared to send out in any Durant deal, reports suggest that the Suns could be focused on finding a way to reacquire their picks from the Rockets. A deal for Durant would allow for each side to get what they're wanting: Houston lands one of the top vets in the league, and Phoenix acquires young talent and draft compensation. Another factor is Durant's close relationship with Rockets bench boss Ime Udoka, dating back to his time with the Brooklyn Nets.

3) Minnesota Timberwolves 

The Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly scanned every avenue to make a deal for Durant ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline in February. Minnesota seems desperate to find another dominant scorer to pair alongside Anthony Edwards. They believe that could be the missing piece to help them finally get over the hump in the Western Conference. Falling short in the WCF for the second season in a row may be exactly what the T-Wolves front office needed to motivate them to make an aggressive run at Durant.

4) New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are another team that reportedly targeted Durant at the trade deadline. In fact, reports suggest that the Knicks made an offer to the Suns, which was ultimately rejected. Durant could have been the piece to help New York get past the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, but that also depends on what the asking price would have been.

Rumors have swirled that a Karl-Anthony Towns-Durant swap could be the framework for a blockbuster trade if these two squads revisited a deal this offseason, but without a head coach in place, would the future Hall of Famer even want to make the jump to the Eastern Conference with multiple attractive landing spots in the West? That's to be seen, but it's also worth wondering if the Knicks' offer is enough to outbid other teams to land KD.

5) Miami Heat

The Miami Heat seem to be mentioned every season when it comes to star players on the trade market. However, this offseason, they truly could be a squad looking to make a bold move after missing the postseason for the first time in forever.

With no clear No. 1 option on the roster (no disrespect to Tyler Herro), Durant could be a piece that Pat Riley feels can get them back in the mix in the East. However, Durant's interest in South Beach could be tempered by the team's lack of a supporting cast around him. Miami's depth issues could make it difficult for KD to talk himself into competing for another NBA Championship there, barring a guarantee that additional moves would be made.

Dunk on the sportsbooks tonight! Grab SportsGrid’s free NBA picks, NBA props, and NBA SGPs.