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Despite 52 win season that propelled the Houston Rockets to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, the Rockets aren't satisfied where they're at. They're now one of three finalists looking to trade for 15 time All-Star Kevin Durant, and will be submitting their final trade offer shortly.
The Suns are thought to want Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. in any package that sends Durant to Houston, two key contributors to the Rockets rebuild. Both were once viewed as potential franchise cornerstones, selected with top three draft picks in back-to-back years, and Green even receiving a $100 million extension following his rookie contract. If the trade on the table, it seems the Rockets won't hesitate to ship the pair away for Durant.
If Green and Smith were swapped for Durant, Houston would be placed nearly $29 million over the cap, meaning more salary would have to be sent out for the trade to be complete. Fred VanVleet's $42 million expiring salary would be enough, but he would have to be rerouted to a third team due to Phoenix residing in the second apron.
Aside from that option, a combination of Dillon Brooks, Reed Sheppard, Jock Landale and Cam Whitmore's outgoing salaries could get the job done. While the Rockets seem to be keen on Sheppard and have set up a potential increased role for him next season, it could just be smoke to entice teams into trading for the young guard.
If the Durant trade is complete, that also leaves the futures of Steven Adams and Aaron Holiday up for question, as the Rockets may look to fill the roster in other ways to fit their newly acquired superstar.
The last major name that's gone unmentioned is Tari Eason, who for now, seems to be going under the radar as a trade asset among other teams. Any deal that sends out Smith is unlikely to also include Eason, but if the Suns request for Eason over Smith, there may not be much pushback from the Rockets.
It's rare for this successful of a young team to have such major roster turnover after a breakout year, but it certainly looks possible. Whether the trade for Durant is complete, or Houston goes on the hunt for a different superstar – it seems only Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson are locks to be on the roster next season.
More must-reads:
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76ers unexpectedly waive veteran guard despite career season
The Sixers are waiving Ricky Council IV, the team announced in a press release. Council signed a four-year, partially guaranteed deal with the Sixers in 2024, which contained a team option for the 2026-27 season. Last season, he averaged 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 17.1 minutes per night — all career-high numbers. Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports notes that the timing of the move was unexpected, given that Council’s guarantee date is on Jan. 10, 2026, and the team currently has an open roster spot if they need it to add restricted free agent Quentin Grimes. While Council struggled with his three-point shot last season, he emerged as a reliable depth contributor, playing a team-high 73 games while bringing athleticism and energy from the wing positions.
Top NHL Analyst Provides Update on Canucks Possible Offer Sheet for Two Star Players
Top NHL analyst Stephan Roget of 'Canucks Army' believes the Canucks could definitely offer sheet Mason McTavish or Marco Rossi, but they likely won't. Offer sheets remain one of the less common NHL deals, so a midsummer offer sheet from the Vancouver Canucks would remain highly unlikely. The player must be a restricted free agent (RFA) to be offer-sheet eligible, and come mid-July, there are not many remaining who are. Two of them are strong possibilities for whom the Canucks would consider making an offer sheet: Anaheim Ducks' Mason McTavish and Minnesota Wild's Marco Rossi. And offer sheets are a two-part process. Your team has to first make an offer. And then there has to be acceptance of a player before his current team is in a position to counter. That is uncertainty enough. Any offer sheet from the Canucks would have to be at least $11.7 million per year The Canucks would only be able to give Mason McTavish or Marco Rossi at the absolute highest compensation level, above $11.7 million annually. That would cost four protected first-rounders across five drafts to the Canucks. While both Rossi and McTavish would certainly appreciate an offer of this nature, whether either is truly worth this kind of investment of this size, especially for Vancouver, a club not comfortably in a playoff position, is questionable. 'As it stands, the Canucks are still eligible to make offer sheets to McTavish and Rossi - but only certain offer sheets. 'Whether it's realistic to expect a mid-summer offer sheet from the Canucks, is no'. - Stephan Roget Bottom line: While theoretically, a Canucks summer offer sheet is conceivable, too high a price, in cap space and future equity, makes it extremely unlikely, per NHL analyst Stephan Roget of 'Canucks Army.'
Bengals finally reach agreement with first-rounder Shemar Stewart
The Cincinnati Bengals have finally reached an agreement with first-round pick Shemar Stewart, putting an end to what became the story of the offseason for the team. Stewart, drafted 17th overall in this year's draft, has finally agreed to a four-year, fully guaranteed $18.97 million deal that includes a $10.4 million signing bonus, according to his agent Zac Hiller of LAA. Now with this deal done, every first-round pick is signed. The road to this deal was a bumpy ride. For months, negotiations between Stewart’s camp and the Bengals front office stalled due to disagreements over contract language, particularly around guarantees. The team pushed to include contract language that could void the deal under certain off-field circumstances, but since other Bengals first-round picks did not face similar terms, Stewart stood firm and refused to sign. Both sides remained firm throughout the offseason, leading to a long standoff and a lot of reports of frustration from both sides. Despite the frustration and disagreement, the Bengals and Stewart’s group continued to engage in conversations, trying to find a resolution to the issue. And finally, after weeks of back and forth and weeks of controversy surrounding what Stewart may be forced to do, both parties appear to have met in the middle and found common ground. For the Bengals, getting Stewart signed and ready for training camp is a major win. Stewart was viewed as a developmental prospect who needed plenty of on-field reps to reach his full potential. Stewart's absence from earlier camps had slowed a lot of his progress. With the contract dispute resolved, he can now focus entirely on gaining important reps and continuing his development over the coming weeks. Now with this contract done and over with, the team can put their full focus on Trey Hendrickson, who is also seeking a long term deal. If the Bengals can get a deal done with Trey before the season kicks off, they would secure their edge-rushing room for not only 2025, but for years beyond. For a team looking to go all in on making the playoffs, signing Stewart was long overdue. Now it will be vital for the team to get Stewart up to speed with the rest of the roster, and allow him to get as many reps as possible before the 2025 season begins.
Did the Yankees Just Help Anthony Volpe With This Ryan McMahon Trade?
The Yankees didn’t trade for Ryan McMahon to help Anthony Volpe. Not directly, anyway. They made the move to shore up the infield, cut down on errors, and stop bleeding runs behind Max Fried. They needed steadier hands, not a defensive whisperer. But according to former Rockies outfielder and current broadcaster Ryan Spilborghs, McMahon’s arrival could have a secondary benefit—helping Volpe get back to his Gold Glove level. “I think so,” Spilborghs said on SiriusXm’s MLB Network Radio’s “Loud Outs” show right after the news was announced. “The range you’re going to get with McMahon... he’s played with really good shortstops—Trevor Story, and now a Gold Glover in Ezequiel Tovar. It’s not an accident that a shortstop wins a Gold Glove. Because the guy next to him was really good.” It’s a simple point, but one Yankees fans should appreciate. The left side of the infield operates as a unit, especially when dealing with groundball-heavy pitchers like Fried. In 2023, Volpe was a breakout defender. In 2025, he’s been fighting through inconsistency, Both mentally and mechanically, and was recently the focus of some tough-love commentary from Joe Maddon. The former MLB manager actually suggested sending Volpe to the minors to help him reset his mind. Adding McMahon, who ranks among the league’s top defensive third basemen since 2021 in Defensive Runs Saved, could stabilize that side of the field—and in the process, take some pressure off Volpe. More consistency. More trust. More plays made. Helping Volpe get back on track is not the headline reason the Yankees acquired McMahon. They desperately needed to improve their defense at third base and protect their investment in ground-ball pitcher Max Fried. But if it gets Volpe back to being a decent shortstop, it could end up being one of the most important ones.
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