Suns reportedly pitched Kevin Durant trades to Rockets
The Phoenix Suns have pitched a Kevin Durant trade in multiple calls to the Rockets since the end of Houston’s playoff run, reports The Athletic’s Kelly Iko.
Phoenix has done so while attempting to regain its own 2025 first-round draft pick, which was sent to Brooklyn in the acquisition of Durant in 2023 and later redirected to Houston. It falls 10th in the draft at the end of June.
Iko adds that over the course of “several calls,” the Suns have “gradually lowered their asking price” and that the Rockets would be interested in pursuing a deal if it gets to a certain price. Still, there is apprehension about gutting a young roster for a 36-year-old
Separately, Iko adds that Houston is receiving other suitors for that No. 10 overall pick and open to trading the draft pick.
Why do the Rockets make sense to partner with Suns in a Kevin Durant trade?
The Rockets have long been connected to a Durant move for several reasons.
For one, the team’s interest in him leaked last summer.
Houston also stands in rare ground of both holding a chest of young talent and picks, as well as fielding a competitive playoff team. The Rockets finished second in the Western Conference only to get snuffed out by the veteran Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.
Some of those future picks are formerly from the Suns: the No. 10 pick this year, an unprotected 2027 selection and a 2029 first-rounder that could go to Houston if it’s the more favorable in a swap. Reacquiring those would give Phoenix a little more direct control of its future.
The Rockets last summer were also linked to Devin Booker, but Iko and others have since reported that Houston’s interest has waned. The reality is a Booker deal would do more damage to the collection of roster talent than, say, trading for Durant.
The 36-year-old has been relatively healthy over the last two years for Phoenix.
Over 145 regular season contests since joining the Suns, he’s averaged 26.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game while shooting 53% overall and 43% from three.
Taking a risk on Durant from Houston’s end is also tied to what they already have. In the words of Arizona Sports’ Kellan Olson, Phoenix is the perfect trade partner for Houston in a Durant deal:
