The Houston Rockets are back in the playoffs for the first time in the post-James Harden era. And unlike those Harden Rockets teams who played with a high-octane offense, this new Rockets iteration has done it by the exact opposite way — playing smothering defense.
Whether that will be enough to launch the Rockets into the championship stratosphere will be monitored as a blockbuster Kevin Durant trade looms on the horizon.
An early flameout could lead them to trade for Durant, Harden’s former teammate in Oklahoma City and Brooklyn, according to ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania.
Charania reported on Wednesday, April 16, that the Rockets and Durant have had a level of interest at the past trade deadline, which could be revisited in the offseason depending on the outcome of their season.
“This is a Houston team we need to keep an eye on in this playoff run,” Charania said on the “NBA Today” on Wednesday, “because when you think about monitoring who does well early in the playoffs and who might struggle and there is going to be a level of mutual interest — there has been already — with them and Kevin Durant with the Suns.
“If they win a couple of rounds, they might be good where they’re at. If you lose early, you don’t win or don’t have enough to get where you want to, could you look at a guy like Kevin Durant once again this offseason? Monitor them.”
The Rockets will face the No. 7 seed Golden State Warriors in the first round. While the Rockets have the higher seeding, oddsmakers are not confident of their chances to advance.
The Warriors open the playoffs as the -166 favorites against the Rockets, who are heavy underdogs at +138 on FanDuel sportsbook.
Odds-on Favorites to Land Kevin Durant
The Rockets are the odds-on favorite to land Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant in a potential blockbuster trade this summer.
They are the betting favorites at Bovada at +120, while the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs are tied as distant second favorites at +325. The other potential landing spots for Durant are the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat, who are all tied as longshots at +700.
Durant’s future, along with Bradley Beal, will come to focus this summer as the Suns look to retool around Devin Booker after they failed to make the playoffs amid championship expectations. Their disastrous season led to the firing of Mike Budenholzer, the second champion coach to get the pink slip in consecutive years after Frank Vogel, who fared better last year.
The Suns are expected to revisit trade talks involving Durant this summer, according to Charania.
“Phoenix is expected to engage in trade conversations involving Durant and will have discussions on the future of Beal, according to sources. Multiple teams will seriously pursue Durant, who finished another stellar season, and the franchise is expected to work with Durant and his business partner and Boardroom CEO Rich Kleiman on the next landing spot for the future Hall of Famer,” Charania wrote.
Rockets Have Strong Competition for Kevin Durant
Charania reported on April 2 that the Rockets were among the five teams with whom Durant had mutual interest.
“Back at the NBA trade deadline, there was a list of teams that there was mutual interest with Kevin Durant,” Charania said on “The Pat McAfee Show” at the time. “Those teams, from my understanding, are Minnesota, that’s New York, Houston, San Antonio and Miami.
“Those are the types of teams, from my understanding, that had interest then, and I expect them all to be in the mix this offseason. But the biggest thing to keep an eye on for all NBA fans and fans of those teams is: How does your team finish in the playoffs? How do the playoffs go? Because that’s going to really determine who feels like they’re a Kevin Durant away.”
The Rockets have control of three of the Suns’ next three first-round picks and a deep group of young prospects, including the underutilized No. 3 pick Reed Sheppard.
Rockets Have ‘Mutual Interest’ With Ex-James Harden Teammate