Analyst: Suns Should Trade Durant to Rockets

The 2025 NBA playoffs are raging on while the Phoenix Suns are at home after finishing the season at a paltry 36-46 mark.

This fate coincided with the first time that superstar forward Kevin Durant failed to appear in a playoff run since his rookie season with the Seattle Supersonics.

The presumed result of the letdown of a season is that Durant will be traded elsewhere - with upwards of five franchises potentially interested in the services of one of the greatest scorers to ever suit up in the league.

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report proposed a brand new blockbuster trade with one of the franchises that has been linked to Durant the most frequently in the Houston Rockets.

Buckley's proposed offer:

Phoenix Suns receive: Fred VanVleet, Cam Whitmore, a 2025 first-round pick (their own), a 2027 first-round pick (their own) and a 2028 first-round pick (lottery-protected)

Buckley then explained why the Suns should ultimately settle on a deal that is structured in the same vein as above.

Why Suns Do It

"They may have burned their bridge with Durant after blindsiding him with trade talks earlier this season. Even if they didn't, they could reasonably conclude their current roster is stuck—first-round sweep last season, failed to make the play-in this time around—and requires a major trade to start replenishing their picked-apart asset collection.

"Should they deal Durant—or even Devin Booker—they'd likely prefer to do business with the Suns, who control three of their next five first-round picks. This trade would give back two of them, though Houston likely doesn't give up the 2025 first until after the lottery.

"Still, that's three firsts, a culture-building veteran in VanVleet and a 20-year-old explosive scorer in Whitmore for a 36-year-old with a growing injury history who might want out. That's good business."

Conflicting reports have arose regarding Houston's actual interest level in dealing for the soon-to-be 37 year old Durant - but the first round exit to the Golden State Warriors could certainly prove to be a catalyst to start discussions.

While the two picks in this package are a nice consolation, VanVleet and Whitmore simply seems to be an underwhelming grouping of players for one of the greatest players in NBA history - regardless of age or contract status.

Tari Eason, and even Jabari Smith Jr., and even Reed Sheppard are much more intriguing pieces compared to Whitmore - the Suns should absolutely utilize every ounce of leverage they have in this situation to get maximum return back.

A new era of Suns basketball is on the horizon regardless of what unfolds in the ensuing months - that begins today with the introductory press conference for freshly promoted general manager Brian Gregory that is set for 3:30 P.M. Arizona time this afternoon.