Kevin Durant Among NBA’s Top Trade Candidates This Season

Kevin Durant could once again find himself at the center of major trade rumors this season if the Houston Rockets start poorly and end up failing to emerge as serious championship contenders.

Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley ranked Durant third on his list of the NBA’s top 10 trade assets entering the 2026-27 season, only behind Trey Murphy III and Darius Garland.

“Last summer, the Rockets wagered on Durant being their missing-piece addition who could elevate them into full-fledged contention. They wound up suffering the same fate as they did the season prior to his arrival, going exactly 52-30 and losing a first-round series in six games. Now, that’s not to suggest Durant is at fault for the lack of elevation—he was his usual awesomely efficient self—but maybe it has Houston wondering whether its young core can catch up to the 37-year-old (38 this month) future Hall of Famer.”

“Maybe moving him for better long-term assets could be the prudent move to make, although Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney cautioned that “Durant is not seen as a top-level commodity by many front offices,” so it’s unclear what kind of haul Houston would receive.”

“Then again, it’s Kevin freakin’ Durant—a living-legend caliber scorer who made All-NBA second team just this past season. Any team with win-now intentions in need of an offensive boost would have to give him a long look, even if he isn’t getting younger and lacks contract security past this campaign ($46.1 million player option for 2027-28).”

This coming up just one season later is quite surprising, as the Rockets acquired Durant with the expectation that he would push their young core toward championship contention, but that didn’t happen in year one.

The Rockets did have a great regular season, finishing with a 52-30 record, which was exactly the same record as the season before Durant arrived, but they were eliminated in six games in the first round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Lakers, as Durant missed five of the six games in that series.

Buckley stressed that Durant wasn’t necessarily responsible for the Rockets’ failure to advance, as he noted the veteran remained an extremely effective offensive player.

The biggest question is whether Durant’s timeline still matches with the Rockets. Durant turns 38 this month, while much of the Rockets’ foundation is very young. If the Rockets determine that the core isn’t ready to contend during Durant’s remaining elite years, moving him for assets would be better for the rest of the roster and for the future of the Rockets.

But there is obviously one big complication: his potential trade value. Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney has previously reported Durant is not seen as a top-level commodity by many front offices, and that could make the Rockets hesitant to move on from one of the NBA’s greatest scorers unless the return actually makes sense.

Durant’s contract also makes his situation a little tougher. He has a $46.1 million player option for the 2027-28 season, meaning any team wouldn’t necessarily be getting a long-term contract with him. At his age, that could limit what teams are willing to surrender despite his excellent production.

But given that Durant is still Kevin Durant, he earned All-NBA Second Team honors last season and continues to offer the kind of three-level scoring that is still rare to see in today’s NBA. For a win-now team that believes that it is one major scorer away from contending for a title, Durant is an automatic lock-in.

The Rockets therefore enter the season with an interesting decision to make. They don’t need to trade Durant, and Buckley’s ranking is an assessment of logical trade candidates rather than a report that the Rockets are actively shopping him. But another disappointing start could change the Rockets’ calculation rather quickly.

Several other big names are on the list as well.

Number one on the list is Darius Garland of the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers were just hit with the heaviest punishment in NBA history over the salary cap circumvention scandal involving Kawhi Leonard, and they lost five of their future first-round picks. Garland was acquired from the Cavaliers at last season’s trade deadline. He is a young asset with a lot of potential, and moving him would allow the Clippers to recoup some of the draft picks that they lost in the punishment.

Trey Murphy III has been a highly valued player for a couple of years. The New Orleans Pelicans value him very highly, and they have still resisted a lot of offers. But with the Pelicans still stuck in mediocrity, Murphy would not want to waste his prime years.

Kyrie Irving is also another player to watch. Rumors say that the Dallas Mavericks are not interested in him as of now. That could change by the trade deadline. As Irving returns from an ACL injury and will likely drive up his value, the Mavericks could pull the trigger during the trade deadline if they see an appropriate offer coming in.

Jarrett Allen of the Cleveland Cavaliers is also another option. The Cavs are very much in the hunt now, and they just got out of the NBA’s second round. But if they can’t compete with the elite this season, Allen would be a great cost-cutting option, as his market is set to be robust.

Anthony Davis is another big player to watch out for. The Washington Wizards have still put Davis’s extension on hold, as they would likely want to see how he starts the season and how he performs. Given his shaky injury history and a massive contract extension in hand, the Wizards could end up losing him if he requests a trade.

Jrue Holiday is another name to keep an eye on. The Portland Trail Blazers‘ backcourt is stacked, and they likely will be looking to move a few pieces. While his contract isn’t cheap, his ability to play on both sides, work on and off the ball, and fill supporting roles on two title teams can make him an interesting option on the trade market.

Michael Porter Jr. is another name to keep an eye on. His extension with the Brooklyn Nets is coming up soon, and both sides are still in discussion. If they cannot reach an agreement, the Nets would likely want to move him instead of losing him for free.

Aaron Gordon and Jimmy Butler are the next two candidates on the list.

Gordon has been drawing strong trade interest, but his contract is still going to be an issue. And if the Denver Nuggets fail to, again, build themselves a proper title contender, they would likely want to cut their losses and put Gordon on the trade market.

Jimmy Butler is the last name on the list. Butler is set to return from an ACL injury around January next year, and if the Golden State Warriors see a move they can make immediately that can improve their title contention with Stephen Curry remaining, they would likely take that option.

Durant’s presence in the top three of this list ultimately reflects how quickly things can change in the NBA. Houston brought him in to turn an emerging young team into a championship contender, and one disappointing season doesn’t necessarily mean that experiment has failed.

But at 38, there isn’t unlimited time to figure it out. If the Rockets struggle again and realize their championship window isn’t aligned with Durant’s, the conversation could shift quickly. For now, there is no indication Houston wants to trade him, but if things go wrong, Durant could once again become one of the biggest names available at the trade deadline.