ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves were both interested in Kevin Durant on June 11, although the Phoenix Suns ultimately agreed to trade the star forward to the Houston Rockets.

The New York Knicks may have avoided Kevin Durant being traded to the Eastern Conference as he was dealt to the Houston Rockets by the Phoenix Suns, but that doesn't mean the team won't feel the effects of the blockbuster deal.

New York had a few plausible paths to pursuing Durant, but all featured some significant hiccup. They could have built a deal around Karl-Anthony Towns, which would have been fairly workable from a cap perspective. However, Suns insider John Gambadoro reported that Phoenix was not interested in a Towns-centric trade.