Rockets Could Trade For Suns' Kevin Durant This Summer

Kevin Durant could be traded by the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets.

Feb 3, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) laughs as he watches a replay of his teammate Suns’ guard Devin Booker (1) being fouled by Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) in overtime at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images | Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets opted to keep things relatively the same at the trade deadline, deciding to keep the young core together for the stretch run.

However, the Rockets are going to need to make some moves this summer possibly, and that could include trading for a big-time star.

Among the players linked to the Rockets is Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant.

"No team gains more financial flexibility on the trade market than Houston this summer," CBS Sports writer Sam Quinn writes. "VanVleet has a team option, so the Rockets could conceivably let him go to create cap space if the wanted.Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun both start their rookie extensions, meaning they can be traded at much higher cap figures, which removes the need for an unwieldy four- or five-for-one deal.

"They'll obviously have a better sense of how well equipped their young players are for postseason basketball, but they'll also have a better idea of how valuable those future Suns picks are. Say, for instance, the Suns have a path to turning Durant into a great package of young players. Suddenly the idea of controlling Phoenix picks in 2027 and 2029 doesn't look as valuable, so perhaps the Rockets decide that moving those picks while their value remains high is a priority. Rumors have suggested for quite some time that the Rockets would prefer to one day use those picks to land Devin Booker. Over the summer, they'll have a better idea of how plausible that strategy will be moving forward."

The Rockets have always been a natural trade partner for the Suns due to the picks that they acquired from the Brooklyn Nets over the summer. However, the Rockets need to decide whether Durant is the right person to acquire.

Durant, 36, has just one year left on his deal, and the Rockets may look to use those picks to acquire someone with more longevity, like Booker.

However, not every team gets the prospect at trading for one of the best scorers of all-time, so the Rockets seriously need to consider the possibility if they are able to do so.

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