Alperen Sengun Would Benefit the Most from a Kevin Durant Trade

As the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers fight it out in the NBA Finals, the other 28 teams continue to look for ways to improve their teams for next season. The Houston Rockets are one of those 28 teams, as they, probably more than any team, have been mentioned in trade rumors all offseason.

The player most talked about during the offseason when it comes to trade rumors has been Kevin Durant. Durant the 13-time All-Star and former MVP has been chasing a title since leaving the Warriors several seasons ago.

Durant's latest stint with the Phoenix Suns has not gone as planned. Even after joining Devin Booker and Bradley Beal to form another big three, the Suns have struggled to make any noise in the Western Conference. They have deteriorated, failing even to make the playoffs this season.

The Suns' struggles for most of last season led the front office of the Suns to try to trade Durant before last season's trade deadline, which reportedly caught Durant off guard and has led to him wanting to be traded this offseason.

The latest report has the Rockets, along with the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs, as the three teams Durant would sign a long-term deal with. Durant only has one season left on his contract, and more than likely, any team trading for him will want him to sign an extension as part of the trade.

That poses the question of which Rocket players would benefit the most from a Durant trade. The Suns are reportedly looking for a young player and draft capital in any trade for Durant. The one name that has consistently been mentioned for the Rockets is Jalen Green, which likely means Alperen Sengun would not be part of any trade.

Sengun was the Rockets' breakout star last season, making his first-ever All-Star game. Sengun became a household name this season, which also led to increased attention from opponents throughout the season. That led to more double teams and less space for Sengun to operate.

One of the reasons Sengun had less space to operate was the Rockets' struggles from outside, especially from 3-point range. The Rockets have been a bottom-10 3-point shooting team for Sengun's entire career.

Bringing in Durant, who is a career 39 percent shooter from downtown and shot 43 percent last season. Durant is also one of the best mid-range shooters in NBA history, which will open the court for everyone, especially Sengun. Opposing teams will have another player to focus on that they can't leave open, and that will give Sengun a lot more room in the post.

A Durant and Sengun pick and roll could become one of the best offensive plays in the NBA with Sengun's ability to score in the paint and Durant's almost automatic mid-range game. It is still up in the air where Durant will go, but if the Rockets do bring in Durant, Sengun may have the best season of his career.