Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Raptors Emerge as Contenders in Kevin Durant Trade Race, Says NBA Analyst

Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

The NBA offseason has already started for 28 teams except for the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, who are competing for the Larry O’Brien trophy. There are a lot of players, role players and superstars, who could be on the move this offseason and one of the biggest names is Kevin Durant. Durant, even after 17 seasons, is still one of the best players in the league and can help a contending team reach its summit. However, the question is where will Durant play next season? Well currently the top 5 teams listed, according to multiple sources, are the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Now, the Toronto Raptors have emerged as one of the contenders to acquire the services of KD.

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. pic.twitter.com/Hqn5hDaWxC
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 15, 2025

Brian Windhorst Says the Raptors Are One of the Teams “Lurking” for Durant

NBA Analyst Brian Windhorst says the Toronto Raptors are one of the teams that are in the running to trade for Durant, despite the team not being on Durant’s list of preferred trade destinations. “Are the Suns going to cooperate with exactly what Durant wants? I think that there is an openness to doing that but I don’t think it’s something that’s the number one priority and that is really going to be a factor here. Of course Durant wants to go to a place where he can get a $100 million dollar extension, of course he wants to go to a place that’s going to be competitive right away… Are those teams willing to make the offer? And I wanna bring up another team here because this is somewhat reminiscent of what happened in 2018 when Kawhi Leonard was a free agent. He had a list of teams that he preferred to go to, with one year left on his contract, the Toronto Raptors were willing to roll the dice as a possible rental.”

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Will the Raptors Be a Good Fit for Durant?

The Toronto Raptors could be a solid fit for Durant, but it may not be perfect. Durant’s elite scoring and versatility would elevate a roster featuring Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram, potentially making them a Eastern Conference contenders. His mid-range game could complement Barnes’ playmaking, though overlapping with Ingram’s isolation plays which could clog spacing. The Raptors have a history with gambling on stars like Kawhi Leonard, and we could see the same happen here. However, Durant’s going to be 37 soon and his injury history since the Achilles tear in the 2018-19 NBA Finals, is something to look at before making a trade. Plus the cost of trading for somebody like Durant could include key players like RJ Barrett, multiple draft picks, Jakob Poeltl, and Immanuel Quickley, which is not going to help their case.

Kevin Durant

NBA

Phoenix Suns

Toronto Raptors

Eric Divakaran

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nfl

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I cover the National Football League and things cannot get better than that. I always dreamed to play football or basketball professionally since I’m built like a Running Back. But now that I can’t, since I’m technically in the “Unc” age, I thought why not pick a career in sports industry? So here I am, doing what I love, and hoping that the Commanders win the Super Bowl. I give love to players when it’s due, but can be critical about their performances at the same time. Enough about me, now let my articles do all the talking.