The kind of offseason the Houston Rockets have had makes for one interesting assessment. With the Western Conference being as stacked as ever, the Rockets seem to be one of those teams in no man’s land.
Are they contenders, just good or on the outside looking in?
According to ESPN’s Zach Kram, however, the Rockets have put together a summer that should give fans some confidence in the team’s 2026-27 season.
“Some shine has come off the Rockets because of their dispiriting playoff defeat against the short-handed Lakers, but they enjoyed another solid offseason, nonetheless. Losing three second-round picks to dump Dorian Finney-Smith’s contract hurts, but Houston doubled down on its defensive identity by adding Smart and re-signing Eason on team-friendly deals; Eason’s five-year, $81.5 million deal as a restricted free agent is one of the best value contracts of the summer,” Kram wrote.
Then there’s the speculation still swirling out there that Houston might cut ties with superstar forward Kevin Durant after just one season. If the Rockets move Durant, there might be multiple packages out there that could make the team … let’s just say a little more interesting.
This Kevin Durant-to-Celtics Trade Idea Should Go Viral
GettyHOUSTON, TEXAS – APRIL 10: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half at Toyota Center on April 10, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Over the Eastern Conference, the vibes around the Celtics are similar. Some say they are still in the mix to claim the East crown even after trading Jaylen Brown, while others are ready to write off the 2024 NBA champions completely. But one thing would almost be for certain: if Boston ended up with Durant, it would be immediately thought of as a top contender in the league again.
There haven’t been any Durant-to-Boston rumors this offseason like in the past, but the 16-time All-Star has been a subject of trade speculation all summer. Here’s a proposed framework that could send Durant to the Celtics. A late-offseason blockbuster, anyone?
Rockets receive: Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman and a 2031 first round pick
Celtics receive: Kevin Durant
Bam. A new juggernaut would rise in the East.
Would the Rockets get better by exchanging Durant for these three players? One can certainly make that argument, especially considering how Houston was viewed as a team quickly on the rise just a little over a year ago without Durant and with Alperen Sengun captaining the ship.
With Durant gone, the Rockets could roll out a sneaky-good starting five of Fred VanVleet, Derrick White, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and Sengun.
Meanwhile, with Jayson Tatum expected to come back fully healthy 17 months after rupturing his Achilles tendon, Durant joining the Celtics would give the team a legitimate Big Three with the newly-acquired Paul George.
Where Houston Stands on Durant
Despite the rumblings, there isn’t nearly enough evidence to support that the Rockets are looking to move on from Durant.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Houston is actually looking forward to the season it can put together with Durant and stars like VanVleet and Steven Adams expected to return healthy from injury.
“I think there was some external trade interest from around the league because it wasn’t a magical season in Houston last year,” Fischer reported. “Every word I’ve gotten out of the Rockets organization has been that they clearly felt last year was just a very bad year of injury luck … I don’t think they ever really saw making major changes this year in Houston, this offseason at least.”
But that doesn’t entirely mean that the Rockets are looking to retain Durant for longer than the short-term. League insider Brett Siegel reported this offseason that the Rockets don’t consider Durant off limits in trade talks and that teams around the league are monitoring Durant’s situation in Houston.
“Whether or not the Rockets look to continue their partnership with Durant is the big question at large, especially since they don’t view him as an ‘untouchable’ talent in trade talks on their roster,” Siegel wrote. “Houston viewed the opportunity to acquire Durant as a way to upgrade from Jalen Green and bridge the gaps in their lineup to contend in the West, but by no means was this addition viewed as a long-term commitment.”
Siegel added: “Many around the league are skeptical of the Rockets wanting to keep Durant through the end of his current contract running through the 2027-28 season. “It isn’t a secret to anyone that there were tensions between Durant and the Rockets’ locker room last season after reports of an alleged burner account came to light and frustrations were mounting internally about the team not taking a step forward with the former league MVP at the helm.”
Durant, 37, is still near the top of his game despite entering his 20th season. If Houston does move Durant to Boston or another team, the former league MVP could help build a new contender in the NBA.
Rockets Proposed to Send Kevin Durant to Celtics in Massive 4-Player NBA Trade