Ahead of the NBA trade deadline, Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant was a highly sought-after player. With the Suns struggling to gain momentum and considering moving on from their current big three, multiple teams inquired about Durant’s availability. However, Phoenix seemed particularly interested in one trade partner: the Houston Rockets.
According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the Suns initiated talks with Houston regarding the 15-time All-Star. No deal was reached, as the Rockets were more interested in acquiring Devin Booker, a proposal Phoenix immediately rejected. However, the Suns have a key reason for wanting Durant in Houston this summer.
Currently third in the Western Conference standings, Houston’s interest in Durant is understandable. He remains one of the league’s most skilled scorers, and the Rockets already have a strong foundation with Alperen Şengün, Jalen Green, and Amen Thompson. While Houston boasts youth, athleticism, and defensive talent, they lack an elite shooter of Durant’s caliber. Although he is past his prime, Durant continues to be one of the best scorers in the NBA, averaging 26.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists on 52.9% shooting.
Other teams also pursued Durant. The Golden State Warriors explored the possibility of bringing him back to play alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, while the Minnesota Timberwolves made a last-minute attempt to pair him with Anthony Edwards. However, Durant’s no-trade clause means he has the final say on any deal.
According to MacMahon, Phoenix would strongly prefer to trade Durant to Houston because the Rockets hold a significant portion of Phoenix’s future draft capital:
“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.”
MacMahon also states:
“At this point, the Suns’ position puts them in serious jeopardy of sending a lottery pick to the Rockets in the upcoming draft.”
Since Phoenix does not have control over its own draft picks, rebuilding becomes much more difficult. The Suns would rather reclaim a lottery pick this season than hand it over to an improving Rockets team. Devin Booker remains a core player in his prime, and the Suns have no intention of trading him. However, it remains to be seen whether they can convince Houston to put together a package attractive enough to finalize a Durant trade.
