Knicks target Kevin Durant responds with cold one-word response to Stephen A. Smith’s wild All-Star Game claim

Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant is one of the few athletes who are actively engaged on social media. On Thursday, he had a one-word response to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith about a potential change to the All-Star Game format.

In the 2025 All-Star Game, the NBA introduced a different approach with four teams—three composed of star players and one from the Rising Stars Challenge. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for the league.

Since then, proposals have been made to make things work. On Wednesday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed that there will be a format change in the All-Star Game. However, no formal announcement has been made yet.

Recently, Smith took the time to discuss the league potentially taking this route with the All-Star Game. On the ESPN show "First Take," the analyst talked about a change in the format.

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According to the sports analyst, the league could scrap the entire All-Star Weekend if it doesn't work. He went as far as to say that the stars will be stained because of their lack of effort.

"And this era of players will forever be stained for the rest of their lives because All-Star weekend was banished because of a lack of effort," Smith said.

The Suns' star, a coveted trade target by the New York Knicks, according to Shams Charania, saw what Smith said. On X (formerly Twitter), Kevin Durant issued a response to what the longtime analyst said about the proposed All-Star Game format change.

"Dramatic," Durant said.

Durant doesn't shy away from sharing his thoughts. This time, it was Smith who was the victim of the star forward's savage response.

The Knicks showed interest in Kevin Durant

The Knicks had an incredible season, making it to the Eastern Conference finals. However, they failed to beat the Indiana Pacers and lost after six games.

According to Charania, the New York team is seeking to improve its roster to contend for the championship and Kevin Durant is one of the organization's targets since the 2024-25 season.

"On Kevin Durant, I will say this, the Knicks there were some mutual interest in Durant at the trade deadline. The Knicks made an offer for KD at the NBA deadline... we'll see what happens in a couple of weeks," Charania said.

There is no assurance for the Suns if the 15-time All-Star will return. After missing the postseason, many expect KD to request a trade this summer.

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About the author

Reign Amurao

Reign Amurao specializes in basketball at Sportskeeda, bringing 3 years of experience to his role and a Bachelor's Degree in Communication.

A fervent supporter of the Phoenix Suns, Reign was hooked to their electrifying "Seven-Seconds-Or-Less" offense, which epitomizes high-paced and high-intensity basketball. For Reign, Steve Nash is the ultimate floor general, and he believes Boris Diaw could've been the next Magic Johnson if he had a bit more discipline. 

From Reign's perspective, Anthony Edwards is a 90s player stuck in modern times, and Gregg Popovich is an ultimate winner with unparalleled success and leadership in the sport.

Reign's expertise lies in NBA history, particularly the significant moments and trends of the 2000s and 2010s. He prioritizes in-depth research using only credible sources to maintain accuracy in his articles, and avoids misleading topics.

Beyond basketball, Reign enjoys gaming with friends and watches comedy shows and films.

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