News is coming in fast and furious around the NBA world right now. That now includes the Houston Rockets making a push to acquire Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade from the Phoenix Suns.
General manager Rafael Stone is putting in the work to make this a possibility.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Rockets have pulled off a separate trade with the Brooklyn Nets involving a plethora of draft picks.
The details of the deal are complicated. In short, Houston dealt the 2026 first-round pick it acquired from Brooklyn in the James Harden trade early in the 2021-22 season for a 2027 first-round pick Brooklyn acquired in trading Durant to the Suns during the 2022-23 season.
Still with us? Good.
Here are more details on the complicated trade.
The short of it is less convoluted, as Woj pointed out while he was dropping bombs on social media.
“The implications of the Rockets landing the Suns’ picks? Houston wants to trade for Kevin Durant and that becomes far easier if they can return the Suns’ picks that they gave up in the Durant deal to the Nets. Suns have said they’re keeping Durant for now, but that could change next season. But now, Houston has the picks to make the Suns whole again.”
Report on Houston Rockets angling for Kevin Durant trade
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Can the Houston Rockets pull off a blockbuster for Kevin Durant
Rumors have continued to persist that Durant could force a trade from the Suns this summer. He was not happy with the direction of the organization during the 2023-24 season. It culminated in a sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Fresh off hiring Mike Budenholzer to replace the recently-fired Frank Vogel, the Suns’ brass has shown no indication that it plans on moving Durant. It wants to keep the core three of KD, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal together.
Even then, Durant could force his way from the desert.
If that does happen, Houston now has the assets to entice Phoenix. That includes the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft as well as youngsters in Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr.
Yeah, the NBA offseason has really got going. Enjoy!