NBA fans believe the reports indicating that Kevin Durant is going to leave the Phoenix Suns and join the Houston Rockets. As most of the NBA world will be aware, KD is currently playing for the Phoenix Suns. His team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Although Durant has not publicly said anything about wanting a trade, there are multiple reasons to believe that the Houston Rockets are going to find a way to acquire him. With the context now clear, one must wonder how the Rockets plan to get KD.
Reports indicate that the Houston Rockets are interested in Kevin Durant
Trade deals usually consist of stars being moved in packages. Future draft picks are usually added to packages in order to balance out trades. However, fans will struggle to remember a time when just draft picks were traded between teams with no star players involved. That is exactly what happened between the Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets.
There are ‘definite connections’ between Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets, per @WindhorstESPN
“[Houston] made this trade specifically to attempt to make a deal with the Suns, and they did it to make a deal with the Suns NOW. Now, to my knowledge, Kevin Durant has not asked… pic.twitter.com/WJUqKSOQHI
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 26, 2024
There have also been multiple members of the media reporting on the fact that the Rockets have shown an interest in trading for Kevin Durant. While KD himself has not said anything on the subject, this trade between the Rockets and Nets seems to indicate that a move could occur.
As we can tell, “The Brooklyn Nets are trading a 2025 Suns pick swap, 2027 Suns first-rounder and a first-rounder and swap in 2029 to the Houston Rockets for their own 2025 pick swap and 2026 first-round from the James Harden trade.”
Sources: The Brooklyn Nets are trading a 2025 Suns pick swap, 2027 Suns first-rounder and a first-rounder and swap in 2029 to the Houston Rockets for their own 2025 pick swap and 2026 first-round from the James Harden trade.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 26, 2024
It is common knowledge that the Brooklyn Nets are entering a rebuilding mode. They have traded away multiple draft picks that are the Phoenix Suns’ in order to get back the assets they lost when trading for James Harden. On the other hand, the Rockets have no particular reason to stock up on Phoenix Suns assets unless they were planning to make a trade.
Rockets about to make a big move.
— Global Utopia Sports (@GL8BAL_SPORTS) June 26, 2024
They are trying to get rid of the insane contracts
— Gonna (@0xGonna) June 26, 2024
Thus, it would be fair to conclude that there was more at play about this draft picks trade between the Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets.
Who won this trade between the Rockets and Nets?
There is no denying that this is a bizarre trade. The Rockets appear to have plans to go after Kevin Durant and are loading up on rebuilding assets for the Suns. If Phoenix does not win a championship in the near future, KD could ask out as he has done before.
“This trade that the Rockets made last night was very interesting..
Houston is loading up to try and make a trade with Phoenix..
In my 22 years of covering the NBA I’ve never seen a trade like this” ~ @WindhorstESPN #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/aYutSZlfWi
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 26, 2024
To put things simply, the Nets have won the immediate trade, They will have high draft picks for the next two drafts. However, one must wonder how much a potential Kevin Durant trade to the Rockets could increase that young team’s potential. Only time will tell which team will emerge victorious from this trade.