On Monday, the NBA world was not shocked to learn that Kevin Durant had been traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and the tenth overall pick, as well as several second-round selections.
The Suns had long made it clear that they would trade Durant early in his offseason, and the Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, and Miami Heat seemed to be the frontrunners.
While reports last week indicated that none of those three teams were willing to break the bank due to Durant's age, contract, and injury history, the Spurs, at the end of the day, did not add an All-NBA player, and their rivals did.
While missing out on Durant will likely help the Spurs in the long run, the Rockets only got better. There was no reason to believe that the Spurs would part with the second pick this offseason, unless Giannis Antetokounmpo were to be made available, but with Durant off the table, the Spurs are now more inclined to use the 14th pick instead of trading it for a win-now player.
Of course, if a team like the Brooklyn Nets or New Orleans Pelicans wants to trade up in exchange for a later first-round pick as well as additional assets, a draft day trade can't be ruled out, although the odds of the Spurs trading for an established star seem to be dwindling.
The fanbase was certainly divided on whether adding Durant would be a good idea or not, and with him heading to Houston, the Spurs now have no choice but to build through the draft.
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