NBA analyst Bill Simmons solves the Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks’ problems with this proposed trade idea.
Heading into the offseason, the Phoenix Suns are at a crossroads regarding a major decision around the future of their superstar Kevin Durant.
Previously, Durant’s name popped up in a plethora of rumors during the NBA Trade Deadline. While the two sides dealt with that uncertainty, Durant’s departure from Phoenix seems unavoidable in the summer.
Keeping that in mind, veteran NBA analyst Bill Simmons proposed a mega-trade between the Suns and the New York Knicks on an episode of his podcast.
Photo by David Berding/Getty ImagesKevin Durant for Karl-Anthony Towns direct trade, suggests Bill Simmons
Durant may turn 37 years old during the 2025-26 NBA season, but the Slim Reaper will still be on an enormous salary of $54.7 million.
Keeping that in mind, if the Suns and the Knicks want to engage in a trade, matching the salaries will be key to the potential move. Simmons believes a direct swap of Karl-Anthony Towns for Durant would work for both teams.
“Towns for Durant. I think Durant has a year left but you could extend him. I think the salaries actually work,” Simmons said. “Towns, if you remember, has a whole friendship history with Booker, they’ve known each other since they were kids, the same agent.”
He reiterated the Devin Booker factor in this hypothetical trade idea.
“I’m thinking if they don’t have a ton of outs with Durant, and if you’re the Suns you don’t have a lot of ways to get better. and Booker loves Towns, I think they are still buddies, is that a way to get out of the Durant business,” he added.
But would a direct swap between the two teams work? As far as their current roster is concerned, the answer is no.
The Suns will also need to absorb the veteran minimum contract of Ariel Hukporti for the Knicks to be able to make this trade as they are an over apron team and can only take back the amount of salary they are sending out.
Trading Towns will solve Knicks’ major issue
According to reports, Knicks players and coaches became frustrated due to Towns’ lack of effort on the defensive end of the floor.
If the Knicks trade away KAT, it will likely make many members of the organization happy, and that’s what Simmons thinks as well.
“If you’re the Knicks you have this one-year run with Durant, you can talk yourself into Mitchell Robinson 30 minutes a game, you’re out of the Towns defense business, you’ve kind of sold high, you got out of Randle, you got out of Towns with this big contract coming,” Simmons concluded.
While a 36-year-old Durant isn’t an elite defender, he is still better than Towns, at least in terms of making an effort on that end of the court.
So, is this a win-win trade for both teams? Only time will tell if the general managers of both organizations agree with Simmons’ idea.