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At the moment, the clear organizational focus for the Houston Rockets (52-30) is on maximizing their chances of success in the 2025 NBA playoffs.
But even as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, the Rockets are underdogs against No. 7 Golden State (48-34) in a best-of-seven, first-round series.
And if things don't go well, there is a potential path for the Rockets to consider in the 2025 offseason that could perhaps take them to the level of veteran-laden teams, such as Golden State.
ESPN insider Shams Charania said Wednesday:
The upcoming 2025-26 season is Durant's last under contract in Phoenix, and he turns 37 years old in September. Between those factors and the Suns (36-46) missing out on the 2025 postseason, that seems likely to incentivize the team to consider retooling and Durant to seek out a team where he could have a better chance to compete for a championship.
Beyond fitting the bill as a contender — Houston did finish second in the West over the 82-game regular-season — the Rockets also have a significant amount of future first-round draft capital from the Suns, which could tempt Phoenix in a trade.
From Durant's perspective, he played his college basketball at the University of Texas and maintains ties to the state. In addition, he played for the Brooklyn Nets when current Rockets coach Ime Udoka was a lead assistant there, and the two remain fond of each other.
So, for both Durant and the Suns, there are ample reasons to view Houston as a potential partner. The bigger question is how much asset value Rockets general manager Rafael Stone would give up for a player that is significantly older — and with far fewer prime years left — than Houston's current young core, and how that offer would stack up compared to ones from other teams.
As Charania implied, results from the 2025 playoffs will likely influence just how aggressively Houston and other teams are willing to bid.
Stay tuned! The Warriors reportedly had interest in trading for Durant in February, but the veteran wasn't keen on a return to Golden State at that time, which scuttled any potential deal there. The Suns also didn't have any time pressure to trade Durant during the 2024-25 league year, but they will in 2025-26 — since he can become an unrestricted free agent the next offseason and potentially leave Phoenix for no compensation.
A 6-foot-11 forward, Durant averaged 26.6 points (52.7% FG, 43.0% on 3-pointers), 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game in 62 outings this season. In February, the former Most Valuable Player (MVP) earned his 15th career NBA All-Star selection.
More: SI’s Chris Mannix thinks Kevin Durant will want a trade to Houston this offseason
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Shams on Rockets and potential Kevin Durant trade: ‘Monitor them’
Continue reading...
But even as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, the Rockets are underdogs against No. 7 Golden State (48-34) in a best-of-seven, first-round series.
And if things don't go well, there is a potential path for the Rockets to consider in the 2025 offseason that could perhaps take them to the level of veteran-laden teams, such as Golden State.
ESPN insider Shams Charania said Wednesday:
The upcoming 2025-26 season is Durant's last under contract in Phoenix, and he turns 37 years old in September. Between those factors and the Suns (36-46) missing out on the 2025 postseason, that seems likely to incentivize the team to consider retooling and Durant to seek out a team where he could have a better chance to compete for a championship.
Beyond fitting the bill as a contender — Houston did finish second in the West over the 82-game regular-season — the Rockets also have a significant amount of future first-round draft capital from the Suns, which could tempt Phoenix in a trade.
From Durant's perspective, he played his college basketball at the University of Texas and maintains ties to the state. In addition, he played for the Brooklyn Nets when current Rockets coach Ime Udoka was a lead assistant there, and the two remain fond of each other.
So, for both Durant and the Suns, there are ample reasons to view Houston as a potential partner. The bigger question is how much asset value Rockets general manager Rafael Stone would give up for a player that is significantly older — and with far fewer prime years left — than Houston's current young core, and how that offer would stack up compared to ones from other teams.
As Charania implied, results from the 2025 playoffs will likely influence just how aggressively Houston and other teams are willing to bid.
Stay tuned! The Warriors reportedly had interest in trading for Durant in February, but the veteran wasn't keen on a return to Golden State at that time, which scuttled any potential deal there. The Suns also didn't have any time pressure to trade Durant during the 2024-25 league year, but they will in 2025-26 — since he can become an unrestricted free agent the next offseason and potentially leave Phoenix for no compensation.
A 6-foot-11 forward, Durant averaged 26.6 points (52.7% FG, 43.0% on 3-pointers), 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game in 62 outings this season. In February, the former Most Valuable Player (MVP) earned his 15th career NBA All-Star selection.
More: SI’s Chris Mannix thinks Kevin Durant will want a trade to Houston this offseason
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Shams on Rockets and potential Kevin Durant trade: ‘Monitor them’
Continue reading...
