NBA free agency: 5 places we’d hate to see Kevin Durant sign

If Durant really wants to stick it to Oklahoma City for whatever reason this summer, he should sign with former Thunder teammate James Harden with the Houston Rockets. Harden was the sixth man for the 2012 Western Conference Champion Thunder, but left Oklahoma City in a trade with the Rockets to become their star player.

Harden has lived up to the hype in Houston as one of the most offensively gifted players in the league. Even with lackluster defensive prowess, Harden is still an All-NBA level talent annually leading the Rockets.

Given that Houston will have to replace its other star player in disgruntled center Dwight Howard in some fashion this summer, a Durant/Harden offense in Houston might become one of the most electrifying in the league. Harden doesn’t have the handle or the rebounding ability of Westbrook, but is a fantastic three-point shooter, something Durant clearly doesn’t have to work with in Oklahoma City.

Under new Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni, a seven-seconds-or-less offense with Harden and Durant would make Houston capable of contending for a championship as earlier as 2017. The problem with Durant hypothetically joining the Rockets is that there isn’t a team in the NBA that Thunder fans would hate to see him sign with more than Harden’s club in Houston.

To see two former Thunder stars on the same team in the Western Conference would be almost unbearable for Oklahomans to endure.

Next: 2. Atlanta Hawks.