The Atlanta Hawks have not been included in the speculation over who will win the Kevin Durant trade sweepstakes, and that is not a bad thing. However, the Hawks absolutely have a rooting interest in the outcome.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Saturday that Durant, who has been traded twice before in his career, has three teams in his sights for his next move.
Again, the Hawks are not one of them, but the division rival Miami Heat are.
“The Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets are 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant's preferred trade destinations out of Phoenix, sources tell ESPN. Those across the NBA have been made aware in recent days that those are the three teams that Durant would commit to long-term,” Charania reported in a post on X on June 14..
“Durant is on an expiring $54.7 million deal for 2025-26, and the Suns have made clear to six-to-eight seriously interested teams that they will make the best deal for the franchise – even outside of his preferred list of Miami, San Antonio and Houston.”
The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer reported on June 14 that the Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves were the two teams “most frequently cited” as possible trade destinations for Durant.
The Suns are eyeing draft capital, with at least one of the picks a premium one this year.
Fischer also named the Rockets, Spurs, and “to a lesser extent,” the Toronto Raptors and LA Clippers. For the Hawks, though, the consistency and extent to which Durant has been linked to the Heat is ominous.
Heat landing Kevin Durant would be bad news for Hawks
The Hawks went 2-2 against the Heat during the regular season, and they suffered a season-ending loss to them in the second round of the Play-In Tournament.
Adding Durant to Miami’s track record of competitive success would only make things tougher.
Durant, who turns 37 in September, has averaged 29.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 32 career games against the Hawks. He has shot 40.6% from beyond the arc with a 62.7% true shooting mark while his teams are 21-11 in those games.
The Hawks are not really the right fit for Durant, anyway, given that the cost of acquiring him will limit his new team’s ability to build the roster around him.
His staying in the West is something the Hawks should hope happens, though.
The Hawks would still see Durant and his new team, but just twice compared to four-plus times guaranteed. That is a much for favorable outcome, especially for a team like the Hawks that is not directly involved in the pursuit.