New York Knicks trade rumors: team to trade Kevin Durant?

Kevin DurantWikimedia Commons/J. Smith

Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant is now rumored, more than ever, to join the New York Knicks once he becomes a free agent.

According to a report from the Washington Post, Durant was most impressed by the performance of Knicks player Kristap Porzingis and Durant does have a strong tie to Knicks coach Derek Fisher.

"We've got so many guys that are athletic, and big and strong, but he's [Porzingis] a skilled player," Durant stated. "He can shoot, he can make the right plays, he can defend, he's a 7-footer that can shoot all the way out to the three-point line. That's rare. And block shots ... that's, like, a unicorn in this league. You've got to respect what he's doing."

Fans speculate that the Knicks will want to bring in Durant this summer when his contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder expires come July. By putting Durant alongside Porzingis and veteran player Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks could potentially create a powerful offensive that could shoot their performance up.

Back in November 2015, Porzingis made his own comments regarding Durant. According to the star rookie, he learned a lot from watching recorded tapes of Durant's plays and stated how well Durant manages offense and how Durant draws in fouls with his aggressive play.

The New York Knicks have not tasted victory at the NBA championships since 1973, and as reported by Inquisitr, they have an average 22-23 record, which makes them a mediocre team with nothing too good or too bad that stands out. Their most notable achievement thus far has been winning the Eastern Division Conference matches.

However, with Phil Jackson now running the team as president, coach Derek Fisher at the helm and a potential "Big Three" consisting of Anthony, Porzingis and Durant -- if the latter does sign on this summer -- then the Knicks will gain the power needed to fight their way through.