NBA Trade Rumours Roundup, January 25th: Knicks want Durant or Walker, Major Pistons departure and more
We have now passed the halfway point of the 2018/19 NBA season, and teams are starting to get a good idea about where they currently stand. Up until this point, both Conferences have remained competitive, with eleven teams in playoff contention in the Eastern Conference, while every team except the Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies still have a shot in the West.
The February trade deadline is also quickly approaching, as the NBA has made changes to the deadline so that it will now always occur 10 days before the All-Star game. This has been done so that players who are traded have time to settle into their new teams, so this year's trade window will close on February 7th.
So with the trade deadline just over two weeks away, here are the biggest trade rumours you need to know for January 25th:
#3 Knicks interested in summer moves for Kevin Durant and Kemba Walker
The New York Knicks have failed to make the playoffs since the 2012/13 season, and the team is set to once again miss out due to their 10-36 record. Despite this, New York remains a major NBA market and the Knicks are hoping to lure at least one free agent in the summer. With this in mind, the New York Times is reporting that Kemba Walker and Kevin Durant are among the Knicks targets:
Finding a trade before the deadline without taking salary back that extends beyond this season would ensure that the Knicks have the requisite salary-cap space in July to pursue top-tier free agents such as Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker.
Both Durant and Walker will become unrestricted free agents in the summer. Durant, in particular, has been tipped to leave the Warriors, as the 30-year-old is believed to want to lead his own team.
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