It’s official: Kevin Durant is a Houston Rocket. After a blockbuster move that few believed would happen this quickly, the deal sends two franchises in dramatically different directions.
For the Rockets, Durant’s arrival instantly solidifies them as legitimate contenders in the Western Conference. They now pair a former NBA champion and elite scorer with a gritty, athletic core that already overachieved last season. As for the Phoenix Suns? Despite acquiring 23-year-old Jalen Green, their direction remains muddled — especially with Bradley Beal and Devin Booker already crowding the backcourt.
If you’re placing bets on which franchise has a clearer path to a championship, the smart money isn’t going to Phoenix.
Rockets' title odds skyrocket with Kevin Durant
Per DraftKings Sportsbook, Houston’s 2026 NBA Championship odds surged from +1200 to +750 following the Durant trade — meaning a $100 bet now yields a potential $750 profit. To put that rise into perspective, the Rockets opened the 2024–25 season with +8000 odds. That's a meteoric jump for a franchise that just won 50+ games and earned the West’s No. 2 seed.
Meanwhile, the Suns have seen their title hopes crash. ESPN Bet dropped Phoenix’s odds from 100/1 to 300/1, placing them in the NBA’s bottom tier — alongside rebuilding squads with little to no playoff aspirations. It’s a stunning fall from grace for a team that once opened the 2024–25 season at +1500.
Why the shift? It’s more than just Durant
The Rockets’ breakout season wasn’t a fluke. With a young nucleus and Ime Udoka at the helm, Houston became one of the NBA’s toughest defensive teams. But a lack of postseason experience showed in their first-round, seven-game loss to Golden State.
So, they did what contenders do: They added a superstar.
Durant hasn’t averaged under 25 points per game since his rookie year, and he brings championship pedigree, scoring versatility and veteran leadership to a hungry locker room. His fit in Houston is seamless — a high-IQ forward who creates matchup nightmares while giving the Rockets a go-to option in clutch moments.
The roster around him is already strong. Alperen Şengün is a budding All-Star, Jabari Smith Jr. continues to grow defensively and Amen Thompson is one of the league’s most athletic playmakers. Cam Whitmore and Reed Sheppard headline a bench that’s both youthful and dynamic.
With Durant leading the charge, Houston now looks like a top-five title contender — if they can stay healthy and build chemistry quickly.
Phoenix: A franchise in freefall
Durant’s three seasons in Phoenix never lived up to expectations: One second-round exit, one first-round sweep and one year missing the playoffs entirely. The Suns pushed all their chips in — and left the table empty-handed.
Trading Durant is likely just the start. Beal is reportedly the next domino to fall, as Phoenix explores another reboot under yet another head coach. Booker’s prime is being squandered, and the current roster — despite Green’s arrival — remains unbalanced.
Green, while talented, doesn’t project as a natural point guard, and his fit next to Booker and Beal remains questionable. Add in severe salary-cap limitations and a lack of draft capital, and it’s hard to see the Suns escaping mediocrity any time soon.
Heading into the 2025–26 season, if you’re putting your money on one of these teams to reach the mountaintop, there’s only one safe bet — and it isn’t the Suns.