The Houston Rockets have made some great strides as a franchise this season. They managed to make a return to the postseason for the first time in five years and appear to be a team on the rise. Led by a talented young core, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who wouldn't admit that Houston's future is bright.
While the lure of adding a veteran superstar this offseason, perhaps such as Kevin Durant (which is reportedly something both sides may be interested in), will be great, the Rockets need to tread carefully. The last thing Houston needs to do is make a rash move that will either stunt the growth of their young core or flat out break it up. An all-in trade for KD has the possibility to do just that.
Why the Houston Rockets should explore the star market
On one hand, it would make sense for the Rockets to do their due diligence on KD's trade market. If he's available for pennies on the dollar, the lure could be difficult to pass up - even if it does end up being for one year. However, if the Rockets find themselves in a situation where they have to trade one of their young core players and/or multiple draft picks, while also having to pay him a max extension, there should be real hesitation from Houston to go completely all-in on an offer.
In theory, the Rockets would be able to add KD without having to break up any of their young core. However, that does seem highly unlikely, especially if the whispers are true that there is going to be plenty of interest surrounding KD heading into the offseason. But, again, it would be equally as foolish for the Rockets not to explore the market before ultimately making a decision one way or another.
Why the Houston Rockets should avoid trading for KD
If the market is too high for KD, the Rockets should feel confident in walking away from trade discussions. With the success the Rockets experienced this past season, the front office should feel comfortable in either pursuing other veteran stars for a cheaper price and perhaps one that fits the young core's timeline better, or continue to trust the continued development of their roster.
The one big question that the Rockets need to ask themselves is whether the single addition of KD is the one move that is going to make them a clear favorite in the West. Even without knowing what they'll have to give up in a potential deal, it's hard to say if KD, at 37 years old, would be worth going all-in for. And because of that, it should ultimately be the final reason why the Rockets should avoid pushing all the chips to the center of the trade table for KD.