Two Rockets Players Most Safe From Being Traded This NBA Offseason

Houston is involved in a lot of early NBA trade rumors. Which players are least likely to be moved?

Apr 24, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard/forward Amen Thompson (1) controls the ball during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Year one of the Kevin Durant experiment did not go as planned for the Houston Rockets. That can be attributed to things that were both in and out of the organization's control, but this season showed that Houston is still a tier under the title contenders despite trading for arguably the most talented scorer of all time last June.

Particularly against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs, the Rockets were a mess offensively. Durant's only appearance was in Game 2, so they eventually leaned all the way into defense, which resulted in two wins to force a Game 6.

This offseason, the focus should now become balancing the rotation with efficient scoring. Houston's only true shot creator was its 37-year-old forward, suffering from a influx of turnovers and inconsistent three-point shooting.

This means many players could be on the trade table. Whether it's for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard or Donovan Mitchell, the Rockets are a team to watch on the bidding market.

While there are a lot of rotation pieces that could depart in a blockbuster deal, which players are safest in a major shakeup? There are really only two that the organization should do everything to protect in negotiations, with the rest being far from untouchable.

Amen Thompson

Thompson became a bigger part of Houston's offense this season, averaging 18.3 points and 5.3
assists as one of the lead ball-handlers in Ime Udoka's point guard committee. He shot just 21.6% from three-point range, but stayed solid by shooting 53.4% from the field and posting an improved 77.9% free-throw rate.

Defensively, the 23-year-old remained an All-Defensive-type producer, averaging 7.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. He wasn't blocking as many opponents, but Thompson had to make those sacrificed for better production on the other end of the floor.

The Rockets should do everything in their power to keep Thompson for the long term, and it looks like that will be the case amid rumors of a massive extension. In all likelihood, he's the one piece of the young core who would stay in a blockbuster trade if the organization had to pick just one.

Kevin Durant

Naturally, people have thrown Durant's name in mock trades and rumors after a rollercoaster year one with his fifth NBA team. But would Houston really trade the Slim Reaper when it was clear he was its only elite scoring weapon? 26 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists on incredible 52-41-87 shooting splits are hard to ignore.

The Rockets should (and likely will) instead focus on pairing Durant with another star if they do enter the trade market. They already made the decision of transitioning to a win-now mindset by departing with Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and draft capital last summer. Houston should target a big name like Antetokounmpo or Leonard to give Durant some more help on offense.