Rockets Enter Offseason as Top Potential Trade Destination for Kevin Durant

PHOENIX — After losing as the No. 2 seed in the first round to the Golden State Warriors Sunday, there are a lot of questions as to what the Houston Rockets will do this offseason to improve. 

Houston is stocked with a ton of young talent, but its lack of a star scorer who could take over games and take pressure off of their other players really shone through in the playoffs. 

After the Rockets traded with the Brooklyn Nets for a 2025 Suns pick swap, 2027 Suns first-rounder and a first-rounder and swap in 2029 with Phoenix last summer, Houston now seems like a top destination for Suns superstar Kevin Durant. Brooklyn originally acquired the draft capital from the Suns in exchange for Durant in Feb. 2023. 

The Rockets have been known to be more fond of Devin Booker because he would fit their timeline better, but the Suns have made it clear they will not be moving on from Booker. 

Even at 36 years old, Durant seems like he would provide exactly what the Rockets need, and Houston has enough young talent that aren’t even its featured players such as Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore and Reed Sheppard that it could package next to Fred VanVleet or Dillon Brooks along with a couple picks to retain most of its rotation in a potential Durant trade. 

There are going to be several teams who inquire about Durant, but the fit and package the Rockets offer makes them the top potential trade destination. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on April 16 that there was a “level of mutual interest” between the Rockets and Durant. 

If Houston truly wants to get a deal done and Durant wants to go Houston, it would be very easy to execute. The only potential roadblocks would be if the Rockets come out and say they don’t want an older player like Durant or Houston is set on trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who will likely be available for trade after the Milwaukee Bucks lost in the first round for the third-straight year. 

The Suns, who just named a new GM in Brian Gregory, will have a lot of questions to answer this offseason after a 36-46 season, but their biggest potential move will be with Durant, and the Rockets appear to be the leaders of the pack after an early playoff exit.