The Kevin Durant trade saga is still ongoing, and the Suns appear no closer to a deal than they did when it started. While several teams have engaged the Suns on a potential trade, no offers have been enough to generate an agreement. Even the Rockets, who are reported to have a massive interest in Durant, are struggling to meet the high price for his acquisition.
“Jalen Green and the 10th pick in this year’s draft present a clear opportunity for the Rockets to swing a deal, but the Suns have demanded more, sources said. Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and Reed Sheppard are among the young talents in Houston that Phoenix has expressed interest in,” wrote Brett Seigel. “The Rockets have not been willing to part with any of the three to this point.”
Durant listed the Rockets (along with the Spurs and Heat) as one of his preferred landing spots, essentially making it a three-team race for his services. With the Spurs being described as unlikely to trade for Durant, it puts the Rockets in a favorable position, but their decision to include Jalen Green in the deal, over Jabari Smith Jr. or Tari Eason, is causing some delay.
“From the Suns’ perspective, they don’t view Green as a positive asset in these trade talks,” wrote Seigel. “The young guard struggled in the Rockets’ playoff run this season, and the Suns have discussed potential paths with other teams that could help facilitate a potential Durant trade by acquiring Green for other assets that would go to Phoenix. Not much progress has been made with this.”
After winning just 36 games this season, the Suns know that major changes are needed if they want to achieve any lasting playoff success. Right now, Durant is the best path to improvement, and they are planning to use his expiring contract to add depth and draft capital.
From their perspective, Durant is still a top-tier superstar with averages of 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game on 52.7% shooting, and if they trade him for anything less than a haul, it would be doing a massive disservice to the franchise.
With Durant, the Rockets would become favorites in the West and on par with elite contenders like the Thunder, Nuggets, and Timberwolves. Alongside Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green, or Jabari Smith Jr., Durant would thrive in the frontcourt and serve as a trusted mentor to the young roster.
As much as they want Durant, they have to be careful not to overpay. With only a few other teams even in the running, the Rockets don’t have a lot of competing offers right now, and they will hold off on giving up their favorite young players unless they have to.
At this point, it’s still too early to predict how it all plays out with Durant and the Rockets, but we know that it will take a lucrative package to satisfy the Suns’ demands. If Houston isn’t willing to pay, then some other team will, and it could have massive implications on the NBA hierarchy.
