One NBA insider believes that Kevin Durant wants to be traded to the Houston Rockets.
Even though the Phoenix Suns have played slightly better of late, and in spurts, this is still a team that is going to have a disappointing end to the year. With as much talent as this team has on their roster, the Suns should not be a Play-In Tournament team. Nevertheless, that's exactly what the Suns have been this season. It's likely going to lead to big changes during the offseason.
At this point, most across the league believe that the big changes for the Suns will begin with a potential trade of Kevin Durant. All the signs seem to point in that direction. Phoenix explored trading KD ahead of the trade deadline and while they ultimately opted against such a move, it's something that the team is expected to revisit when the offseason begins.
With the way this narrative has evolved of late, it's more of a matter of when and where KD will be traded and not if. Assuming that is indeed the case, there could be a flurry of potential suitors. One NBA insider seems to believe KD may have a somewhat unlikely preference.
In the opinion of SI's Chris Mannix, he believes that KD wants his offseason to lead him to the Houston Rockets. Mannix notes KD's respect for Rockets head coach Ime Udoka and the fact that Houston may very well be one superstar player away from emerging as a true championship contender in the Western Conference.
Would the Houston Rockets go all-in for Kevin Durant?
KD may be interested in joining the Rockets but would the Rockets be interested in making such an all-in move for KD? At least for me, that's the more interesting question to ponder here. In theory, there's reason to believe that KD would be a good fit in Houston.
If the Rockets were to be able to pull off a move while keeping their talented young core intact, there should be zero hesitation. KD could be the superstar leader the Rockets have needed this season and Houston's young core would be able to continue to blossom at their own pace. Adding a clear No. 1 option like KD would also take significant pressure off of the likes of Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson.
Even though this is a move that could make sense, that doesn't mean it will happen. The Rockets could elect to hold out on making a bold move for the off-chance that Devin Booker becomes available in the next couple of offseasons.