The Houston Rockets will have a massive season coming up to figure out which players are part of the future. Last summer saw Houston taking a huge gamble on trading Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to land Kevin Durant as the next superstar. Last season saw lackluster results compared to the real NBA Championship contenders and ended with a first-round exit.
Bleacher Report listed the realistic trade targets based on their trade value, and Durant was third behind some unexpected names. However, Durant falling behind players like Darius Garland and Trey Murphy shows his value has dropped across the league.
B/R’s Zach Buckely shared the following about Durant on the list:
“Any team with win-now intentions in need of an offensive boost would have to give him a long look, even if he isn’t getting younger and lacks contract security past this campaign ($46.1 million player option for 2027-28).”
Age was listed as the biggest reason for Durant’s trade value no longer being as strong as it was for the Brooklyn Nets or even the Phoenix Suns in recent seasons. Heavy’s very own Sean Deveney confirmed that Durant is no longer considered a top commodity around the league to risk giving up a lot of draft picks and young talent.
Why Other Players Are Above Kevin Durant
The surprising names above Durant make his placement on the list stand out more. Durant is still considered a far better player than Murphy or Garland. However, it could be argued that he caused too many issues after his social media burner allegedly insulted teammates Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith last year.
Teams trading for Durant are banking on an older player who has not contended for an NBA Championship since 2021. Murphy is a young asset for the New Orleans Pelicans who is just now entering his prime and should be a strong contributor for a decade.
The Los Angeles Clippers are in a terrible position and will do everything they can to boost Garland’s value as the best player on the team in the post Kawhi Leonard era. All these variables go into what makes Durant less valuable purely from a trade asset perspective compared to surprising names.
Can Kevin Durant Succeed With Rockets?
The new era of NBA legends playing high level basketball into their late 30s is reaching uncharted territories. LeBron James is already defying all previous basketball history by thriving in his 40s as an All-NBA caliber player.
Durant is inching towards 40 as well and shows little signs of slowing down. Houston could ride things out to see if his presence helps the young talent win. Recent news of the Rockets extending Amen Thompson on a huge contract does show he’s the most important player to the franchise.
Houston will have to dedicate money to their young talents and need to find the missing pieces to win a title with this core. Durant seems like the odd man out when his current contract expires in 2028 or 2027 if he doesn’t accept his player option. Unfortunately for the Rockets, they likely won’t get a great trade package in return.
Rockets Get Terrible Sign For Kevin Durant’s Trade Value