It will likely be a couple more months before any offseason trades are completed, but the rumors surrounding Suns star Kevin Durant are already beginning to pick up steam now that Phoenix’s season is over.
Reporting earlier this week indicated that Durant’s manager Rich Kleiman planned to travel to Phoenix this week to talk to the Suns about the veteran forward’s future. On Wednesday, appearing on NBA Today (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Shams Charania made it clear that the Rockets could emerge as a serious suitor for Durant if they make an early postseason exit this spring.
“This is a Houston team we need to keep an eye on in this playoff run,” Charania said. “… There is going to be a level of mutual interest – there has been already – with them and Kevin Durant with the Suns. If they win a couple rounds, they might be good where they’re at. If you lose early, don’t win enough to where you want to, could you look at a guy like Kevin Durant once again this offseason? Monitor them.”
Reports throughout the 2024/25 season indicated that the Rockets weren’t looking to break up their young core and that if they did make a blockbuster deal, they’d be focused more on a younger star who better fit their timeline than a player like Durant, who will turn 37 this September. However, a first-round exit as the West’s No. 2 seed could alter the front office’s thinking on both counts.
Plugged-in Phoenix-based reporter John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter links) notes that he has been discussing the possibility of the Rockets pursuing Durant for weeks on his radio show and views Houston as one of the top three likely suitors for the Suns star, along with the Timberwolves and Knicks.
A deep playoff run for any of those three teams would probably diminish their appetite for major changes, according to Gambadoro, who adds that the Spurs and two or three other teams could also emerge as suitors.
Charania previously identified all four of those teams (Houston, Minnesota, New York, and San Antonio) and the Heat as clubs that had some level of mutual interest with Durant prior to February’s trade deadline. Golden State also pursued him at that time, but Durant wasn’t open to a reunion.
Houston is loaded with young players and draft assets, including a handful of Suns picks, putting the team in a favorable position to make a strong offer for Durant. In addition to controlling Phoenix’s 2025 first-rounder, which will almost certainly be in the top 10, the Rockets also own the Suns’ unprotected 2027 pick and will receive the two most favorable 2029 first-rounders out of their own, Dallas’, and Phoenix’s.
According to Gambadoro (via Twitter), it’s “very unlikely” that the Rockets would be willing to give up Phoenix’s 2025 lottery pick in any deal for Durant. However, it’s possible that those future Suns draft assets could be part of any discussions between the two teams.
While it remains to be seen where Durant will be playing next fall, it’s a safe bet it won’t be in Phoenix, per Gambadoro, who adds in another tweet that the former MVP is “gone for sure.”
While all three players put up monster numbers, Gilgeous-Alexander is generally considered the favorite to win the award due in large part to the Thunder’s team success this season. Oklahoma City won a league-high 68 regular season games, compared to 50 for Jokic’s Nuggets and 48 for Antetokounmpo’s Bucks.