Inside The Rockets

14-Player, 4-Team Trade Proposal Sends Kevin Durant to Rockets

The Houston Rockets could make a blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant this offseason.
Jeremy Brener|
Mar 26, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) looks on against the Boston Celtics during the second half at Footprint Center.
Mar 26, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) looks on against the Boston Celtics during the second half at Footprint Center. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

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Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets have been linked to several Kevin Durant trade rumors over the past few months, but there may not be a proposed deal as wacky as this one.

Bleacher Report writer Eric Pincus built a four-team, 14-player deal that forces the Rockets to send out Jae'Sean Tate and Jeff Green to the San Antonio Spurs, Jock Landale to the Charlotte Hornets and Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, Cam Whitmore and Aaron Holiday to the Phoenix Suns while Durant comes to Houston.

"The Rockets are trying to win, and while Durant will turn 37 before next season, he's still one of the league's most lethal scorers. Put him on a team with rugged defenders, complementary scorers and athletes like Houston, and he'll shine in ways that he can't in Phoenix," Pincus writes.

"The price may seem high based on the number of names leaving Houston, but most are there for salary purposes (Holiday, Landale, Tate and Green). The prized players given up are Sheppard and Whitmore, but the former may not get the court time he needs to develop on a team that's striving to win now. While Whitmore is talented, Durant would be a sizable upgrade."

In the deal, the Spurs also get Devin Booker, which explains the drama of the deal, but for the Rockets, they get one year of Durant, so it's hard to see the team give up that much for a short-term investment.

Durant is an amazing player, and he would elevate Houston's ceiling, but the price may not be right.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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