At 26-12, the Houston Rockets are presently quantity 2 within the rating Western Convention standings and monitoring to have home-field benefit in at the least one playoff collection. At 19-20, the Phoenix Suns are presently tied for eleventh and would not even qualify for the West play-in match.
Moreover, Houston has vital future first-round capital from the Suns. within the 2025, 2027 and 2029 NBA draft swimming pools.
Realizing that if the Suns do not flip issues round earlier than the February 6 commerce deadline, many across the league have speculated that they might try and commerce Kevin Durant to the Rockets in change for at the least a few of these belongings .
Conceptually, this is sensible. At 36 years outdated, Durant possible needs to proceed his title combat in his closing years of glory. And if the Suns aren’t able to successful a title within the close to time period, getting future draft belongings may be a greater state of affairs than letting Durant’s worth regularly depreciate. If Phoenix went this route, it might make extra sense to pursue their very own picks as a result of then they might have extra management over the eventual placement.
Final offseason, when the Rockets initially obtained these future picks from Phoenix, it was reported that Durant was most likely too outdated for Houston’s deliberate protest schedule. However with the Rockets forward of schedule, perhaps normal supervisor Rafael Stone would contemplate it, particularly if the worth is true.
So what would the worth be? ESPN’s Bobby Marks, a front-office insider and former head of basketball operations on the Brooklyn Nets, suggest:
Rockets get: ahead Kevin Durant, heart Bol Bol, guard Monte Morris, guard Damion Lee
Suns get: ahead Dillon Brooks, ahead Cam Whitmore, ahead Jae’Sean Tate, ahead Jeff Inexperienced, heart Jock Landale, two first-round picks (2025, 2027; each return to Phoenix )
Technically, due to the NBA Stepien’s ruleHouston can not commerce its 2025 choose with out receiving an unprotected choice in 2025 or 2026. Nonetheless, if the Rockets wish to go down that route, it’s believable that they might commerce a future choose for one in 2025 or 2026 – thus circumventing this rule.
The talk is whether or not it is sensible to money in belongings for Durant. On this state of affairs, Whitmore is the one prospect of the “core seven” That will disappear, and Durant would clearly be an improve over Brooks on the small ahead place. Moreover, the Rockets wouldn’t be devoid of draft belongings for future trades, since they might solely lose two picks (and retain a Phoenix 2029 commerce).
It is a excessive worth, however definitely not an “all-inclusive” choice, so far as belongings and wages. The query is whether or not that is sufficient for the Suns to stroll away from a future Corridor of Famer, and whether or not the Rockets consider they’re shut sufficient to the title race to justify investing in a veteran participant of that age and caliber. stature. Moreover, would Durant worth Houston’s title possibilities sufficient to attempt to leverage a commerce there on favorable phrases?
For each groups, and maybe even Durant himself, on-field outcomes over the following three weeks may possible affect these kind of evaluations.
A 14-time All-Star and former NBA Most Worthwhile Participant (MVP), Durant averages 27.2 factors (52.4% FG, 38.4% 3-point), 6.4 rebounds and 4, 2 assists per sport this season.
Extra: ESPN’s Tim MacMahon eyes Rockets as potential commerce for Kings star De’Aaron Fox
This text was initially revealed on Rockets Wire: ESPN’s Bobby Marks Proposes Rockets-Suns Commerce for Kevin Durant
