The Rockets completed a trade with the Suns centered around Kevin Durant's arrival in Houston for a trade package revolving around Jalen Green going to Phoenix. The package included Dillon Brooks, the number 10 pick in the upcoming NBA draft, and five second-round picks.
The NBA world was shocked to see that the Rockets were able to land Durant in a trade without giving away any coveted assets for the future beyond Jalen Green. The Rockets managed to retain a treasure haul of draft picks and young talent, who they can combine to make a compelling offer for any superstar in the NBA at the moment.
According to Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor, they could even make a serious offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo or Jaylen Brown, if they decided to make a superstar duo with Kevin Durant in Houston. Following the trade, O'Connor went on social media after recording an episode on his show about the Kevin Durant trade and then further broke down the Rockets' trade assets if they decide to make another major move.
"Say what you want about Kevin Durant's age: He is at worst a top 25 player and at best top 7. Still an elite 3-point shooter. Still an elite isolation creator. Massive acquisition for the Rockets that addresses areas of need. And Houston still has assets to make more moves."
"The Rockets still have the following future firsts:
-2027 Suns
-2027 Nets or Rockets (most favorable)
-2028 Rockets
-2029 Mavs, Suns, or Rockets (two most favorable)
-2030 Rockets
-2031 Rockets
-2032 Rockets
That's up to five tradeable firsts (own in 28, 30, 32, one in 27 and 29) plus the option to swap the others. Factor in the youth on the roster, and Houston could get extremely creative targeting more players in trades."
"The Rockets still have enough assets to make a compelling offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo or Jaylen Brown or basically whoever they want to target, even after acquiring Kevin Durant."
Will The Rockets Make Another Move?
Having already given up a potential future star in Jalen Green, the Rockets are unlikely to give up other pieces of their young core just to force a win-now team on Kevin Durant. There are multiple reasons why I believe that the Rockets will not make another superstar trade:
First, the Rockets had a lot of success with their young core last season, finishing second in the Western Conference. They have potentially found franchise cornerstones in Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson. Adding another superstar to the roster alongside Kevin Durant would severely hinder the growth of these two.
Secondly, Kevin Durant does not have a good history of playing alongside superstars, except when he played for the Warriors, during which time Durant was in his prime and played the best basketball of his career. Unfortunately, that is not the same Durant joining the Rockets.
He won the league MVP in 2014 but never won anything beyond that during his time with the Thunder. He reached the Finals in 2012 with James Harden and Russell Westbrook, but never managed to win it all there. We all know about how messy the situation became in Brooklyn with Harden and Kyrie Irving. And now, even the Suns' "super team" has ended in a Durant trade with no team success for him.
One cannot blame Durant for the situations in these teams being bad; individually, he is still an All-Star caliber future Hall of Famer. But also needs to understand the situation he is ending up in and the role he is expected to play on the team. Which brings me to my third reason.
Durant is not joining the Rockets as their new franchise player; he can no longer be expected to carry the load for the Rockets and be the best player on that team, nearing the twilight end of his career. But he is expected to use his experience in crucial Playoff situations and instill a championship culture in the young players by guiding them as a veteran as well.
The Rockets forced a Game 7 against the Warriors in this season's Playoffs. They were arguably one superstar player away from handing the Warriors an upset in the first round, as Jalen Green's struggles cost them in the long run. After averaging 20 points per game in the regular season, Green ended up averaging only 13.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in the playoffs. Considering that Durant will likely only have two or three more good years left in his career, they could still decide to trade for either Antetokounmpo or Brown.
Potential Trade Packages For Giannis Antetokounmpo And Jaylen Brown
If the Rockets decide to move for another superstar, there are several top-tier talents expected to be available for trade discussions in the offseason. Among the potential list of superstars who could get traded this summer, two key names that stand out are Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jaylen Brown.
This is what a potential trade package could look like if the Rockets decide to trade for either of these players:
Houston Rockets get: Jaylen Brown
Boston Celtics get: Reed Sheppard, Fred VanVleet, and three first-round picks (2028, 2030, and 2032)
or
Houston Rockets get: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks get: Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr, Jock Landale and two first-round picks (2028, 2030)
While Giannis may not be inclined to a move away from the Bucks, Jaylen Brown could be a more realistic target for the Rockets, as the Celtics are reportedly listening to trade offers for him.
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