Toronto Raptors fans, if you're dreaming of a Kevin Durant trade, stay in whatever alternate reality you're in because you won't like to hear what Kevin O'Connor said. On Wednesday, ESPN reported that several wildcard teams reached out to the Suns about a KD trade. O'Connor said it's likely that the Raptors were one of those teams, but that Toronto isn't on Durant's list of top destinations.
The Raptors have one thing going for them -- they're in the East. If Durant wants to win another title before retiring (and why wouldn't he?), his best chance to do so would be in the weaker of the two conferences. Toronto could also make Phoenix an appealing offer, but that won't matter much because Durant will have a say in where he goes.
The star foward is entering the final season of his current contract, meaning he'll be eligible to sign an extension this summer. Whichever team trades for him will want reassurance that he'll sign an extension. Why would Toronto trade for Durant if he doesn't want to be there? That would create problems that the Raptors don't need.
Raptors aren't one of the teams at the top of Kevin Durant's trade list
As O'Connor said, there are a few different combinations the Raptors could put together to offer the Suns, such as Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl. Phoenix needs a center, and having a young guard like IQ would be a bonus. Toronto has the draft capital, too.
This isn't the first time the Raptors have been linked to Durant, but it could be the last time, assuming the team he ends up with is where he retires. Toronto was one of the potential landing spots for Durant in 2023 before Brooklyn traded him to Phoenix. KD might not have wanted to be in Toronto, but he would have fared better in Canada than he did in Arizona, where the Suns' situation turned into a complete disaster.
Durant would be cheaper to acquire than Giannis Antetokounmpo, who may or may not have already played his final game in Milwaukee. There have been whispers circulating that Antetokounmpo might be interested in playing in Canada, but he hasn't requested a trade. He's hinted that he'll stay with the Bucks, but don't give up hope yet. As for KD, it's best to let go of any hope that he'll end up in Canada (it's better to be surprised than disappointed!).