The Houston 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 re-tool 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 will be having a new head coach for the fourth time in as many seasons since Mat Ishbia bought the franchise in 2023.
The Suns nearly traded Durant back to the Warriors at the trade deadline. But Durant nixed the deal when he learned about it.
The Suns are expected to revisit trade talks involving Durant this summer, according to ESPN’s Shams 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.
Durant has one year left on his contract. He is due for $54.7 million next season.
Kevin Durant, Rockets Had ‘Mutual Interest’
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 MacAfee 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 clinched the No. 2 seed in the stacked Western Conference. They will face either the Warriors or the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs. If they advance, they will meet the winner of the other bracket between the No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers and No. 6 Timberwolves in the conference semifinals.
If the Rockets fall short, adding Durant could be in the cards to accelerate their timeline.
Ideal Suns’ Trade Partner
The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin named the Rockets and the Spurs as the two teams that “make sense as trade partners for first-round picks.”
“Sources informed The Republic the most ideal return on a Durant trade is regaining three first-round picks and a young player as part of a multi-team deal tied to getting under the second apron,” Rankin wrote.
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 coach Ime Udoka has also previously worked with Durant in Brooklyn as an assistant coach during the 2020-21 season.
Comments
Rockets Named Odds-On Favorites to Land $54 Million Superstar