Ranking Kevin Durant's preferred destinations: West division foes offer biggest rewards

Below, we rank the landing spots, with pros and cons for each location.

3. Miami Heat

Pros: Playing in the Eastern conference

Cons: Heat's trade package is the worst

The Eastern Conference offers an easier path to the NBA Finals than the West, and Durant and Heat center Bam Adebayo could be the cornerstones of a contender.

Durant, a 15-time All-Star, averaged 26.6 points on 52.7 percent shooting, including 43 percent, in 62 games this season. Adebayo, a five-time All-Defensive Team member, averaged 18.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game while expanding his offensive game, taking a career-high 2.8 three-point attempts per game. (He shot 35.7 percent, averaging one make per game).

However, with the league's stringent tax penalties, the Heat might not be able to surround the two stars with enough talent to topple deeper Eastern Conference foes.

Heat guard Tyler Herro, who averaged a career-high 23.9 points per game in 2024-25, would probably need to be the main piece in a trade, along with future draft picks. For as much regular-season success as Herro has had, playoff success has eluded him. He's averaged 14.6 points on 41.4 percent shooting in 50 career playoff games (15 starts).

The Suns should be able to do much better than a trade with Herro the key asset coming back to Phoenix. 

2. San Antonio Spurs

Pros: Victor Wembanyama

Cons: Accelerates timeline

Durant and Wembanyama could instantly become the league's top must-see duo. 

Wembanyama's second NBA season was curtailed after the two-time block champion suffered blood clots, but he's on track to return for the start of the 2025-26 regular season.

When healthy, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft has been even better than advertised, which is saying something for a player billed as the best prospect of his generation.

In 46 games last season, Wembanyama increased his per-game averages in points (24.3), rebounds (11) and blocks (3.8) from his rookie season while making 3.1 threes per game. 

The Spurs own two first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft: No. 2 overall and No. 14, which could be used in a trade package, along with future draft assets. Guard Stephon Castle, the 2024-25 Rookie of the Year, and forward Jeremy Sochan could sweeten the deal.

By acquiring Durant, San Antonio would trade organic growth for a team with manufactured expectations. While the Spurs must prove they're headed in the right direction to keep Wembanyama content, selling their future for Durant, who turns 37 in September, could shrink their contending window.

1. Houston Rockets

Pros: Ability to win now

Cons: Giving up on young stars

The Rockets surged in 2024-25, finishing 52-30 and second in the Western Conference. Houston struggled offensively in its first-round series loss to the Golden State Warriors, averaging 104 points per game.  It was held under 100 points three times, including Game 7's 103-89 loss.

The Rockets need a go-to scorer to reach the next level. How many better options are there than Durant?

But Houston would need to break up its excellent young core in a trade. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun, both 22, might have to exit in a deal. Could the Rockets seriously part ways with Amen Thompson (also 22), who looked like a future star this season?

The Rockets' young stars, with another year of development, could potentially ascend together. Trading for Durant would rob them of that opportunity.