It is widely believed that NBA veteran Kevin Durant has played his last game for the Phoenix Suns, and speculation has already begun on his next potential destination. With mere weeks to go before the official start of free agency, the Atlanta Hawks have emerged from the fold as a potential contender, joining the Timberwolves and Knicks.
“One league source told Hoops Wire not to be surprised if the Hawks get involved in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes,” wrote NBA insider Sam Amico. “While they have yet to hire a president of basketball operations, team ownership has already inquired internally about Durant, sources said.”
The 2025 NBA offseason is slated to be a busy one with an unprecedented amount of player movement. With a limited free agent pool, the trade market is the only way for teams to improve this summer, and the Atlanta Hawks will be one of many teams actively searching for an upgrade at several positions.
The Hawks have been somewhat irrelevant since their run to the Conference Finals in 2021. Besides Trae Young, they have yet to land an elite franchise player and have spent the last few years in NBA purgatory.
Durant, 36, may be beyond the Hawks’ timeline, but he may still have years left as an All-Star player before his inevitable decline. Over 16 years in the NBA, Durant has accomplished a lot in his amazing career, and he may be just the kind of player that the Hawks need to have another breakthrough in the East and contend for an NBA title.
With averages of 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game on 52.7% shooting, Durant’s impact is enough to instantly elevate any offense, and his consistent shot-making provides another safe option in the clutch. The only concerns now are how close the Suns are to trading Durant and if the Hawks have enough to make a compelling offer.
After a miserable season in Phoenix, where the Suns finished 11th in the West (36-46), the team is more compelled than ever to trade Durant and get something back in a trade rather than to risk letting him walk for nothing in return next summer.
A package for Durant would be pretty lucrative, given that he’s on the books for $51 million next season. Still, the Hawks have enough to make things interesting if they are willing to give up Zaccharie Risacher, Terance Mann, Dyson Daniels, and Onyeka Okongwu, potentially along with first-round picks.
The deal would essentially gut the Hawks’ support cast, but with Clint Capela and Caris LeVert set to become free agents this summer, they have the flexibility to make roster moves as they see fit. After years of mediocrity and failure in the Trae Young era, the biggest thing they need right now is another star to ease the burden and balance the offense once and for all.
After finishing eighth last season (40-42), almost anyone on the roster is expendable for Atlanta, and they are considering all options for the upcoming offseason. If they want to do right by Trae Young, they’ll continue working to build a contender and find him the partner he deserves.
