Kevin Durant is expected to hit the trade market this upcoming offseason, and as always, a couple of teams will be lining up for the two-time NBA Finals MVP. The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly among those potential suitors.
The Lakers, Mavericks, Spurs and Heat are expected to pursue Kevin Durant in the offseason, per @AmicoHoops pic.twitter.com/YrjZ4BnMeZ
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 6, 2025
The Lakers have been rolling this season, sitting third in the Western Conference with Luka Doncic and LeBron James making everything easier for everyone. With that duo in place, the front office has every reason to feel good about the team’s trajectory. But could they really make room for Durant next season?
According to Lakers insider Jovan Buha, any move for Durant would require the Lakers to part with a significant haul, possibly including fan-favorite Austin Reaves. While the Lakers could tease the idea with the assets they have, Buha also suggests their reported pursuit might just be a play for buzz right now.
Per BasketNews:
“I have not heard anything about the Lakers being interested in Kevin Durant,” Buha said on his latest podcast. “I think that might just be a situation where someone throws the Lakers out there to get some buzz with it. “For the Lakers, a hypothetical trade for KD would have to be something like Austin [Reaves], Rui [Hachimura], Dalton [Knecht], Gabe [Vincent], Maxi [Kleber], a pick, and a couple pick swaps. That’s a lot,” he added. “The Lakers are basically giving up everything that they could trade. For KD, you can make that case, but if you’re Phoenix, if you have an open bidding with at least multiple teams, you can get more than that.”
