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

Could Durant be headed for another departure, this time from the defending NBA champions?

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.

---

#2 The Pistons are considering trading away Andre Drummond

Drummond, 25, could be set for an eye-catching trade away from Detroit

The Detroit Pistons started the 2018/19 season off well and at the quarter stage of the campaign, the Pistons were challenging for a top-four finish. Nevertheless, the team has struggled throughout December and January, and the Pistons now sit one spot outside the playoff places.

Due to their current struggles, Detroit have been linked with making a major move ahead of the trade deadline, and Brandon Robinson from Scoop B radio is suggesting the team will consider trading their star center, Andre Drummond:

Detroit Pistons have explored trade scenarios for Andre Drummond recently, I’m told. One team interested in Drummond are the Charlotte Hornets, Pistons have inquired about Charlotte's Malik Monk & Nicolas Batum.

Drummond has been with the Pistons since being selected by the team as the 9th pick of the 2012 NBA draft. The 25-year-old is this season averaging 16.3 points, 14.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.

#1 Knicks looking to move a number of players before the deadline

Kanter has made clear his desire to either play more regularly, or move on from New York

As previously mentioned, the Knicks are gearing up for a major summer of change, and Marc Stein of the New York Times is reporting that a number of the current roster could depart before the trade deadline:

The Knicks have made Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee available via trade in advance of the NBA's Feb. 7 trade deadline. The veteran Knicks forward Enes Kanter has also been made available by the Knicks in advance of the trade deadline.

Enes Kanter will become a free agent in the summer, and the Turkish center has repeatedly stated that he's unhappy with his current role on the team. Meanwhile, both Hardaway Jr. and Lee have multiple years left on their deals, with Hardaway Jr. set to earn $37m for the next two years - while Lee is set to earn $12m for the 19/20 campaign.