The Kevin Durant saga will soon be at an end for the Phoenix Suns, but not before another blockbuster deal could steal some of the offseason limelight away from The Valley. The Orlando Magic giving up a lot - like a Durant-sized package - in order to prise Desmond Bane away from the Memphis Grizzlies.
Neither of those teams were ever in the running for Durant, although unexpected suitors such as the L.A. Clippers have popped up throughout this process. One of the franchises most frequently mentioned - despite how hard it would be to get a deal over the line - were the Minnesota Timberwolves. Not anymore.
Durant shuts down any talk of heading to Minnesota.
All along Shams Charania of ESPN has been one of the key insiders when it comes to Durant news, and it was he who has long brought up the Timberwolves as a team to watch here. Charania has also spoken about the Miami Heat with a lot more regularity in the last week, and they could yet be the landing spot for the 36-year-old. They're one of three teams he's open to re-signing with.
Shams: "I'm told Kevin Durant has no desire to be in Minnesota with the Timberwolves"
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) June 16, 2025
No KD-Ant duo anymore pic.twitter.com/4SxnaO3LLc
But as you can see from the above video - taken ahead of Game 5 of the NBA Finals in Oklahoma - Durant has no interest in teaming up with a superstar in Anthony Edwards who has repeatedly called Durant his favorite player. This is big - not only because it officially takes a team that really wanted to make a trade out of the running - but also because of how Durant is taking control of the narrative.
Suns' owner Mat Ishbia was initially open to working with Durant to find a landing spot that worked for everybody, but that appears to have changed in recent days. The Suns it appears are now going to do what is best for them - and if it also happens to suit Durant - then all the better. The player's camp know this, and so by going public with their stance on Minnesota, they're forcing the Suns' hand.
Why would the Timberwolves now want to give up Rudy Gobert for example - a player they traded even more than the Suns did for Durant - knowing that he will skip town after one season anyway. The trio of franchises he will extend with are the Heat, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs, and this news from Charania means a conclusion is on the way.
From the perspective of Edwards and company, the Suns may have made a mistake in angering an opponent who last year swept them out of the playoffs. They've been made to look silly - like a place a star wouldn't want to go - despite making the Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons. That's cold, and it is also life in the league. Then there were three.