Rockets land Kevin Durant in potential blockbuster
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, much of the interest in a potential Rockets trade for Durant had actually been on the Suns' side. After all, the Rockets own several of the Suns' first-round picks, and Phoenix would like to recoup at least one or two of those assets in any potential Durant trade.
While it's unclear how much interest the Rockets have in a trade with the Suns, they are still on Durant's list of potential landing spots. Moreover, they have plenty of assets, including young players and picks. They also have tradable salaries needed to make a deal happen.
One potential incarnation of a trade for Durant would include trading Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., and the 10th pick, which originally belonged to the Phoenix Suns, for Durant.
Trading Green shouldn't be a deterrent to landing Durant, with Green showing star potential but also having long stretches of inconsistent play. Additionally, Smith Jr. has seen his stock go down as Thompson's has risen.
Moving those two players would be necessary for the Rockets to take another step forward. While they won 54 games this season with Green and Smith Jr., the Rockets aren't a great offensive team thanks to their lack of shooting. That came back to bite them in the playoffs.
However, adding Durant, who is still an elite offensive player, could solve that problem with him being a go-to scorer with championship experience. The Rockets may be resistant to cashing in their young core, but they may have to do so to take the next step and emerge as a true contender in the Western Conference next season.
Would the Phoenix Suns agree to the Houston Rockets' offer?
If the Rockets wanted to, they could trade for Durant immediately by including Green, Smith Jr., and the 10th pick. Their reluctance to do so has dragged out the Durand trade process.
That being said, if they were to offer such a trade to Phoenix, they would almost certainly agree to it. Although Green has questionable shot selection and efficiency, he has put together long stretches of star-level play before, and he could really spread his wings in Phoenix. Potentially even emerging as a co-star with Devin Booker.
Additionally, Smith Jr. was the number three overall pick in 2022. While he hasn't taken off in the same way that Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren have, he still has plenty of star potential as a scorer and even as a rim protector.
Lastly, Phoenix getting a 10th overall pick in this year's draft would be another huge get. There are a number of intriguing options that they could add to their roster in addition to Smith Jr. and Green. That gives them all the more incentive to make this deal if it were offered to them.
All told, if the Heat, Spurs, or Rockets agreed to make the aforementioned trade, then Durant could soon be on the move. However, the Suns are still waiting to make a Durant trade.