For the second straight year, the Minnesota Timberwolves failed to advance to the NBA Finals after losing to the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the conference finals. After finishing as the sixth seed in the West, the Wolves shocked the conference by eliminating the Lakers and the Warriors in back-to-back series. However, they were outmatched by a Thunder team led by league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who averaged 31.4 points, 8.2 assists and 5.2 rebounds in the series.
While Anthony Edwards has clearly blossomed into the face of the Timberwolves franchise, the team’s playoff exit has exposed a need for a reliable, elite shot-creator — someone who can take pressure off Edwards, especially when defenses collapse on him. That void has fueled speculation that Minnesota could make a franchise-altering swing this offseason.
A post from ClutchPoints floated Kevin Durant as a logical fit for Minnesota if the Suns move him this summer. ESPN analyst Jay Williams added fuel to that speculation, saying that pairing Edwards with a player like Durant could “increase his basketball IQ drastically” and be the kind of mentor-franchise tandem the Wolves need to take the next step.
This comes after Edwards’ postgame quotes about not being “hurt” by his team’s early exit, which ESPN was discussing in this segment.
After falling short to the Thunder, it’s possible that the loser of the Western Conference Finals will be the winner of the Kevin Durant sweepstakes.
The Wolves need someone who can handle the ball. Someone who Anthony Edwards can complement and win with. Someone who can score
Durant’s ball-handling skills and ability to score from all three levels would ease the offensive burden on Edwards, while his length and court awareness would complement Minnesota’s already-elite defense. Not to mention Edwards’ relationship with Durant, who he has publicly declared as his favorite player and spoken about his admiration for his game.
Durant, who was traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Suns in 2023, had a strong individual season in Phoenix — averaging 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while shooting an efficient 52.7% from the field in his 18th season.
But the Suns’ underwhelming playoff run and roster imbalance have raised real questions about his future in the Valley, with ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reporting that Durant is very likely to part ways with the Suns this offseason.
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