Rockets Have Plenty to Fall Back on if Kevin Durant Trade Fails

The 'what if' game is the most fun, but also dangerous game to play in the NBA, especially before anything actually goes down. There's always excitement when a team makes a major splash, but in today's league with salary cap risks and draft picks getting sent to any and every team, a big trade gets fans worried. What if this doesn't work out?

The Houston Rockets are taking said risk after trading for Kevin Durant. Weeks of speculation and negotiations led up to the Phoenix Suns ultimately taking Houston's offer over other teams. The Rockets now have their primary shot creator and go-to offensive weapon after an impressive 52-30 season.

Houston was smart in negotiations. The Suns wanted young players such as Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard, but those players were untouchable to the Rockets and they managed to keep them out of the package. Instead. Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and picks were sent off in what would end up being a historic seven-team trade headlined by Durant.

Even though the Suns' package was viewed as underwhelming by fans, the Rockets are still taking a risk. This is Durant's fifth team of his career, and his third in just over two years. He spent a season and a half in Phoenix following a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, but his tenure in The Valley was disappointing.

Houston is now a legitimate title contender, now in the pantheon of the league, but there are still doubts. Can they get past the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves? Are they better than some of the Eastern Conference juggernauts like the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers? What about when the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers are fully healthy again?

It's still a steep climb for a title, but if the Rockets' worst fears come true and Durant doesn't get them far enough, they have plenty of insurance to fall back on.

General Manager Rafael Stone was strategic in his negotiations. He knew how much leverage Houston had over the Suns, which is why talks stalled for so long.

Durant only wanted to sign extensions with the Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, and Miami Heat. The Spurs never made a formal offer, while the Heat's package was significantly worse than Houston's. Stone managed to keep most of the core, retaining Smith, Sheppard, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and others while adding the 36-year-old star.

The Rockets still have a solid amount of cap space, given many of the young players either haven't signed extensions or they won't kick in for a while. Houston saved plenty of money by declining Fred VanVleet's $44.9 million player option and instead bringing him back on $50 million across two seasons.

Houston also has major draft capital. The team gave up the No. 10 pick in this year's draft, which ended up being Khaman Maluach, but it still owns Phoenix's 2027 and 2029 first-round selections, which could be major assets if the Suns fail to build around Devin Booker. The Rockets also have their own picks in 2027, 2028, 2030, and beyond.

Overall, Stone did the absolute best he could in Durant negotiations. It's a risk to acquire the aging star, but the Rockets left with great insurance in case it doesn't work out. For now, the future is as bright as it has ever been in Houston.