Ahead of the NBA trade deadline, Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant was a hot commodity. With Phoenix stuck in neutral and looking to pivot off of its current big three, several teams around the league reached out to the Suns to inquire about Durant's availability. But Phoenix apparently had eyes for one team in particular, a team that should be kept in mind as trade talks pick up again this offseason: the Houston Rockets.
According to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, the Suns initiated talks with Houston regarding the 15-time All-Star. No deal came to fruition, as the Rockets showed more interest in Devin Booker only to have that interest immediately shut down. But Phoenix has one very important reason to try and steer Durant to the Rockets this summer.
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Is Kevin Durant on the move?
Currently third in the Western Conference standings, you can understand why Houston would be interested in adding a player like Durant, still one of the most versatile scorers in the entire league. The Rockets already have an All-Star on their roster in big man Alperun Şengün plus other rising stars like Jalen Green and Amen Thompson, but Durant's shotmaking would be a valuable addition to a team long on youth, athleticism and defense but a little light on shooting. Durant isn't what he was in his prime, but he continues to be one of the best players in the NBA in that department, averaging 26.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.3 assist on 52.9 percent from the field.
There have been other Durant suitors. The Golden State Warriors reached out about potentially bringing Durant back to the Bay Area to play with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. The Minnesota Timberwolves also made a last-ditch effort to acquire Durant to pair him alongside Anthony Edwards. And Durant's no-trade clause means he'll have the ultimate say in where he winds up next.
But according to McMahon's reporting, Phoenix would really like for that to be Houston, "who control a significant chunk of Phoenix's future first-round capital (2025 swap rights, 2027 and 2029 picks, all unprotected) via a deal with the Brooklyn Nets."
"At this point," McMahon writes, "the Suns' position puts them in serious jeopardy of sending a lottery pick to the Rockets in the upcoming draft."
It's hard to rebuild on the fly when you aren't in position of your own draft capital, and Phoenix would love to get a crack at the lottery this season rather than send that pick to an ascending Rockets team. Booker is a star still square in his prime, whom the Suns would really like to avoid moving. But it remains to be seen whether they can convince Houston to put together that sort of package in return for Durant.