How Rockets Could Gain Suns' Draft Picks

The Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets could exchange some picks that belong to the Phoenix Suns.

Apr 28, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) and Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale (00) celebrate against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half of game four of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns dealt a slew of draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets - along with Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson - in exchange for the services of Kevin Durant.

Those assets could be on the move once again.

The Athletic's Kelly Iko highlighted how Phoenix's old picks could be used in a trade with the Houston Rockets - who own the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

After going through options at No. 3 or trading out for a package that included a star player (such as Bridges in Brooklyn), Iko offered the following:

"Houston also could look to acquire future draft picks, such as Brooklyn’s array of assets courtesy of the Phoenix Suns/Kevin Durant trade. The Houston Chronicle first reported the Rockets’ interest in the Suns’ unprotected first-round picks (Brooklyn has ownership of 2025, ’27 and ’29 Phoenix firsts in addition to swaps beginning in 2028). Per team sources, the Rockets will re-engage with the Nets leading up to the June 26 draft."

- Kelly Iko, The Athletic

Phoenix has the No. 22 pick in the draft and are heavily expected to explore packaging that with a player (some believe they'll dangle Jusuf Nurkic in trade talks) - we'll see what new coach Mike Budenholzer has up his sleeve.

The Suns can also trade their 2031 first-round pick, and it appears owner Mat Ishbia is intent on pushing even more chips to the middle of the table.

"Fans like to look in the future and say, 'Hey, I really like that 2031 draft pick because maybe that seventh grader is going to be really good and we're going to draft him and one day he's going to be a player.'"

Ishbia also highlighted that the house isn't "burning down" when it comes to assets or capital.

"Five in the next eight years, we have a first-round draft pick. I know that's not a cool thing to say out there because people like to say their narratives that we have no draft picks, but we have five in the next eight years and we can trade two of 'em next month if we want. So it is not like people say we have no flexibility."

The 2024 NBA Draft begins on June 26.