After a second-round exit in the 2026 playoffs, the Minnesota Timberwolves enter the offseason with a glaring issue at the forefront of their plans this summer. The Timberwolves have yet to get over the hump as a roster because they have not found a reliable second option on offense. 

Since Donte Divincenzo will likely miss significant time in 2026 due to a torn Achilles, the issue becomes even more noticeable. Minnesota will need to acquire players who can take the pressure off star player Anthony Edwards, especially in the playoffs. 

While players like Jaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu have shown flashes of stepping up for the Timberwolves, neither player has been a consistent second option. One player who could be on the trade market this summer that Minnesota could pursue is former MVP Kevin Durant. 

According to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, the Timberwolves thought they had a deal in place to acquire Durant via trade in 2025, but the Phoenix Suns backed out. 

The reason Minnesota tried to trade for Kevin Durant was that the franchise had been looking for a reliable second option. Now in 2026, they're in a similar position again after falling short in the postseason. 

While Kevin Durant is 37 years old, he can still contribute to Minnesota as a reliable piece on offense. In 2025-2026, Durant averaged 26 points per game, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. Durant also shot 52 percent from the field and 41 percent from three-point-range. 

Having Durant and Edwards would be a solid duo on offense. These are both players who can score on all three levels and take control of the game when needed. If the Timberwolves were able to keep Jaden McDaniels in a deal to get Durant, that would round out a formidable starting five. 

During the 2024 first-round series between the Timberwolves and the Suns, Durant and Edwards were going back and forth, jawing at each other. Edwards later explained to the media that his favorite player growing up was Kevin Durant. 

Edwards has always admired Durant, and if Minnesota were to acquire Durant, that could add a new sense of energy for both parties. Minnesota would get a player that the locker room would look forward to playing with while Durant is being brought into a place where he feels wanted. 

Kevin Durant has left his previous teams on bad terms in recent years, and that could happen again with the Houston Rockets. A change of scenery and a clean slate for Durant could give him motivation to compete for a championship once again.