Why the Rockets and Suns Might Not Be Done Making Trades for the Long Term

The Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns have been heavily intertwined to start the 2025 NBA offseason, with a blockbuster trade that has captured the attention of the entire basketball world. The Rockets are acquiring Kevin Durant from the Suns for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Khaman Maluach, and five second-round picks, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

Houston just added one of the greatest scorers of all time to a team that just went 52-30. During the Rockets' first-round exit to the Golden State Warriors, they lacked a go-to bucket-getter and three-point shooting for the entire season. Durant specializes in both of those, having averaged 26.6 points on 52.7% shooting from the field and 43% from three.

Much of the talk surrounding the trade is how minuscule Houston's outgoing assets are compared to a player of Durant's prowess. Green, while a prolific scorer, struggled mightily in his postseason and still has major efficiency issues. Brooks isn't exactly a young piece, but he is still a great enforcer to have.

In terms of draft capital, the Rockets had no problem sending that out. Maluach, the No. 10 pick, wouldn't have seen much time in the rotation, and five second-rounders is perplexing considering the fact that Houston owns Phoenix's 2027 and 2029 first-round picks.

It's important to zero in on those two first-round picks because they could be extremely valuable by the time those drafts roll around. The Suns are arguably worse than they were prior to the Durant trade, and the young pieces signal a long timeline. However, Phoenix can't waste time with Houston owning those picks.

It immediately shifts the focus to the Suns' franchise star, Devin Booker. The 28-year-old has been the biggest victim of Phoenix's ownership, failing to have a good-enough roster to contend since making the NBA Finals in 2021. With the franchise's rapid decline over the last two years, teams, especially Houston, have heavily monitored Booker's status.

While the expectation is that Booker stays in Phoenix, that could change in a short amount of time, whether it be on his part or the ownership's. If the Suns are still rebuilding by 2027, don't be surprised if Houston re-enters conversations surrounding the All-NBA star, whether Booker wants them to or not.